DATE: 12/09/2025
TO: Business Managers/Department Chairs/Center Directors/Faculty
FROM: Michael T. Walsh, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
RE: OSP Winter Break Deadlines: Dec. 24, 2025 - Jan. 2, 2026
________________________________________________________________
This is a special announcement concerning the OSP schedule for reviewing/approving proposals with deadlines to Federal, State, and Other Agencies that occur during UMBC's Winter Break this year.
Please note the following:
1. UMBC's Winter holiday break is currently scheduled to begin at COB (5 PM) on Tuesday December 23rd (first full day of holiday vacation is thus Wednesday December 24th) and goes through Thursday January 1st, 2026.
2. All proposals with submission deadlines occurring between Wednesday December 23rd and Friday January 2, 2026 must be fully routed, ready for submission, and released to the OSP office for final review and submission by the close of business on Thursday December 18, 2025; and
3. All proposals with submission deadlines occurring between Monday January 5th and Wednesday January 7th, 2026 will be due to OSP by 9 AM on Monday, December 22, 2025.
This schedule is consistent with our current policy, which requires the submission of complete proposals to OSP at least three (3) FULL business days before the agency submission deadline. Since UMBC is closed during the Winter Break, OSP will also be closed and OSP personnel will not be available during the Winter Break for consultation or proposal submission(s).
The campus closure during Winter Break traditionally has imparted a heavy workload on OSP staff. Therefore, we will enforce our current policy more consistently, with little maneuverability. Proposals received after the OSP deadlines specified above will be reviewed on a first-come/first-serve basis and will be submitted only if time permits.
In keeping with the deadline enforcement policy of ORCA (Division of the Vice President for Research & Creative Achievement), any proposal not fully routed and ready for submission by 9:00 a.m. of the deadline date will not be submitted to the agency. If the deadline occurs over Winter Break, please refer to the deadline presented in #2 above.
Thank you for your understanding...and best wishes for a great Holiday season and Winter Break.
Best Regards,
Dr. Michael T. Walsh
Director
UMBC Office of Sponsored Programs