Dear Colleagues,

Open Enrollment for State of Maryland health benefits will end this Friday, November 7, 2025, at 5 p.m.

Take action now before it's too late! Please visit the Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management (HRSTM) Open Enrollment website for resources from the State, health vendors, and the slides and recording from the information session the HRSTM team conducted on October 15.

What's new for 2026:

• Effective January 1, 2026, all health benefit premiums will be deducted from payroll on a bi-weekly basis across 26 pay periods, an increase from the previous 24 deductions per year.
• Beginning July 1, 2026, contractual employees will begin receiving pre-tax benefit premiums, which will be automatically deducted from their paychecks.
• Healthcare FSA maximum increased to $3,300 and dependent care FSA increased to $7,500 for the 2026 calendar year!

During Open Enrollment, eligible employees can enroll, cancel, or make changes to their health benefits, with all updates becoming effective January 1, 2026. Employees will receive weekly email alerts from the State of Maryland regarding Open Enrollment.

Open Enrollment will continue to be online in the SPS Workday system. Instructions for logging into the SPS Workday system can be found here.

Employees who are adding new dependents to their health benefits during Open Enrollment should review the required dependent documentation. Dependent documentation is required to be attached to the employee's Open Enrollment event by Friday, November 7, 2025, at 5 p.m.

Employees who do not need to make changes to their benefits do not need to take any action.

Please visit the HRSTM Open Enrollment website for more information and email the HRSTM Benefits and Wellness team at hrbenefits@umbc.edu with any questions.

Benefits and Wellness Team
Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management

Happy Friday and welcome to a special spooky and scary edition of the Provost's Perspective. (On second thought, it's probably not going to be spooky or scary. Maybe more of a Goosebumps vibe. I guess you'll have to continue reading to find out.)

Fog slowly wafts from the dark woods surrounding the large, dimly lit home. A single bare bulb glows from a chain in the ceiling as a man sits typing intently when a large crack jolts him to attention…

Halloween was not a holiday that we celebrated growing up in the Netherlands, but as a parent of three emerging adults and after several decades living in the United States I have grown to embrace the revelry that is on full display every October 31st (or at least the mini candy bars). 

With my kids past the trick-or-treating stage and my neighborhood on the less-visited end of the spectrum, the candy level in the house this All Hallows Eve is comically low. This led me down a rabbit (candy) hole to determine how the house should be stocked. 

My non-exhaustive search has produced more questions than answers. According to a 2024 study, Maryland joins Utah as one of only two states in which candy corn is the most popular treat. I'm not certain what candy corn is, but I have been assured by a trusted colleague that it is definitely not corn and can barely be classified as candy. On a brighter note (and one that I can support), Hershey's mini bars and kisses round out the Free State's top three. 

Leave me a comment here about your favorite Halloween candy and I'll list the top three submissions next week. 

CAHSS Dean Search Deadline Quickly Approaching

The preferred submission deadline for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences dean search is quickly approaching. If you have a nomination or intend to apply, please do so by November 7. More information about the position and the process can be found here. 

Call for Faculty Proposals: IDEA Initiative & CAP Fellowship

I announced last week the IDEA Initiative & CAP Fellowship as part of my goal to foster innovative and interdisciplinary curricular efforts and provide faculty with the resources to create and innovate. Applications for the programs close November 20. 

Learn more and apply today!

Coffee with the Provost: Thursday, Nov. 6

Come join me for a cup of coffee or tea Thursday, Nov. 6, from 10-11 in the Fireside Lounge in The Commons (third floor near the Skylight Lounge). This come-and-go hour is a great opportunity to connect in a casual, non-programmed setting. I look forward to seeing many of you there and our conversation together.  

Fireside Lounge, The Commons

10-11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 6

First-generation Week On Tap

National First-generation Day, a day that is particularly close to my heart as I am the first member of my family to earn a college degree, is November 8. Leading up to next Saturday, there will be several events across campus celebrating our community's first-generation students. Discover how you can support and celebrate our first-gen Retrievers here.  

New Faculty/AOK Library Lunch and Learn a Success 

On Friday, September 26, the A.O.K. Library and Gallery hosted the inaugural Lunch and Learn for New Faculty in collaboration with the Office of the Provost, RCAC, DoIt, and the CNMS, CAHSS, and COEIT grant administrators. The event covered open access, special collections, reference services, research computing, teaching and learning technology, and more. The next event will be held in Spring 2026. For more information, contact Michelle Flinchbaugh.  

New Faculty Spotlights

Each week we feature the newest faculty members of our community.

Daniel G. Suarez-Forero, Assistant Professor, Physics

Areas of Research/Interest: Condensed matter

Fun Fact About Daniel: I love sports and music.

Chris L. Terry, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, English

Areas of Research/Interest: Author of the novels Black Card and Zero Fade, and co-editor with James Spooner of the literary anthology Black Punk Now.

Fun Fact About Chris: By the time I turned 25, I'd played music in 10 countries.

Are you a new faculty member? Please take two minutes to fill out the form and submit your bio if you have not already done so.

New Staff Spotlights (Coming Soon)

Are you a staff member who joined UMBC in the last year? Email Aaron Burnett, director of provost communications, to be featured in an upcoming edition of the Provost's Perspective. 

Help Make this Newsletter Better

The goal each week of this message is to deepen our connection to UMBC, whether that is learning about an upcoming event, a divisional accomplishment, an innovative program, or an  update from the Office of the Provost. If you know of a program or event that should be highlighted, please share it here.

Change Your Clocks, Check Your Batteries

It's fall back weekend. Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour on Sunday. While I applaud promptness, being a full hour early can be overkill. I like to follow the American Red Cross's suggestion to use the biannual time change to also check my home's smoke detectors. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep this weekend.   

Until next week, 

Manfred van Dulmen

Happy Friday and welcome to the fifth installment of the provost newsletter and the first edition under its new banner: Provost's Perspective. 

The question now is how do we count our editions. There is a minor debate on whether this is Vol. 1, No. 1 or Vol. 1, No. 5. The ink-stained wretch that was pulled into the haven at 1000 Hilltop from the abyss that is American journalism has been vociferously protesting that the number does not reset with a change of title, while a slightly more civilized member of the provost A-team continues to make the logical point that the Provost's Perspective is a new entity and therefore begins anew at No. 1. I'm not sold on the validity of either argument so, for now, we'll call it Vol. 1, No. 1 / 5. 

So this is what we voted for?

Your feedback matters.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to lend your opinion as to the name of this publication. In a sweeping victory with more than half of the votes cast, I give you the winner: Provost's Perspective. In second place was UMBC Pulse, which now that I think about it may make for an interesting tagline. 

The goal each week of this message is to deepen our connection to UMBC, whether that is learning about an upcoming event, a divisional accomplishment, an innovative program, or an update from the Office of the Provost. If you know of a program or event that should be highlighted, please share it here.

Self care is a critical aspect of successfully navigating life. Last week, I encouraged you to take a pause before the push to the second half of the semester. The small steps taken today can have a large impact on tomorrow and the journey for the remainder of the semester.  

Many of you shared your favorite park or trail. Following your recommendations, I'm excited to explore Benjamin Banneker Historical Park, the Sawmill Branch Trail, and Patapsco Valley State Park, as well as countless other areas around the region. I look forward to seeing you out there. 

Call for Faculty Proposals: IDEA Initiative & CAP Fellowship

I am so excited to announce the IDEA Initiative & CAP Fellowship. These efforts are part of my goal to further foster innovative and interdisciplinary curricular efforts and make sure faculty have the resources to create and innovate. 

Ideate, Design, Execute & Assess (IDEA) Initiative

Submit proposals for new, credit-bearing interdisciplinary academic programs that address the evolving needs of students and the state of Maryland. Proposals from faculty teams should go beyond current offerings at UMBC or within USM. Awardees will receive course release or a summer stipend, along with university support for program design and proposal development.

Curriculum and Pedagogy (CAP) Fellowship

Propose the development or redesign of courses focused on emerging or in-demand workforce needs in Maryland. Faculty awardees will receive a stipend, optional funding for professional development related to course design or content, and access to course design support.

Help shape UMBC's future curriculum and impact Maryland's workforce readiness. The application period closes on November 20.

Learn more and apply today!

Inaugural Research Admin Shadow Day a Success

The Research Administrators Central and Departmental Collaboration Group partnered to create UMBC's inaugural Research Admin Shadowing Day on Wednesday. Shadowing Day was designed for networking, sharing ideas, and having in-person connections to help UMBC research administrators strengthen teams and collaboration. More than 30 research administrators participated across 10 sessions in three time-slots.

"It really was a great experience. I appreciated having the opportunity to sit and speak – really connect on a personal level – with some of the people I work with on a weekly, if not daily, basis," said Alisha Scrivens from the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting. 

Hosts across campus held sessions in the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting (OCGA), Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Office of the Provost Shared Services Center (OPSSC), College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS), College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Research Admin Team (CAHSS-CARAT), and the Office of Earth and Space Research Administration (ESRA).

Director Gerrad Alex Taylor works with the cast of "Shakespeare in Harlem."

Don't Miss Shakespeare in Harlem 

UMBC Theatre presents Shakespeare in Harlem by Langston Hughes, adapted and directed by Gerrad Alex Taylor, a university-professional collaboration between UMBC Theatre and the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.

A rare gem from Hughes, this collection of monologue poems revives the rhythms of jazz, the blues, and the pulse of the Harlem Renaissance — its love, struggles, and street-corner spirit. In Taylor's adaptation, Hughes' words come alive in a dynamic full-length play, blending poetry, music, and dance for an immersive journey into the world he so vividly celebrated.

Performances at UMBC's Proscenium Theatre

Thursday, October 30, 7:30 p.m. — Opening Night Reception

Friday, October 31, 7:30 p.m. — Free Performance for UMBC students

Saturday, November 1, 7:30 p.m. — Alumni Night

Friday, November 7, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 9, 2 p.m. — Free Performance for UMBC Students; Prospective Student Day; Actor Talk-Back

Mark Your Calendar: Research in Germany Information Event

Wednesday, Oct. 29, noon to 1 p.m.

Fine Arts Building, Room 459 

Mark your calendar and learn about research and funding opportunities through the German Academic Exchange Program (DAAD), the Humboldt Foundation, and the German Research Institute (DFG). Officers from these organizations will present programs and will be available for questions and follow-up conversations, along with some past fellows from within the UMBC faculty. This event is particularly relevant for faculty interested in research funding and those mentoring junior faculty and graduate students. 

Click here to learn more.

New Travel Solution On Tap

UMBC is about to roll out a new travel solution, SAP Concur, replacing the current Travel System. SAP Concur should provide easier travel booking and expense reporting. The program has broad applicability to all faculty and staff, as well as exciting new features for the campus. Learn about training sessions here.  

Give it a Listen

As we trudge ever closer to Halloween, I encourage you to take a minute (more precisely 3:19) and give this a listen. The AOK Library and Gallery special collection got a shout-out from WYPR. 

"The University of Maryland Baltimore County has a big secret.

Many already know that deep in the Albin Kuhn Library there are spooky artifacts. But there's more than just the haunted mongoose named Gef and the collection of objects supposedly bent by someone's mind.

The parapsychology collection at the school also holds audio of certain spooky instances like seances from beyond the grave and interviews with people who have experienced supernatural occurrences.

UMBC holds some seriously spooky tapes of these occurrences."

Listen to the audio and learn more here.

New Faculty Spotlights

Each week we feature the newest members of our community.

Gregory Winger, Associate Professor, Political Science, affiliated with the UMBC Cybersecurity Institute 

Areas of Research/Interest: International Security, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technology, and Alliances

Fun Fact About Gregory: I went undergraduate at UMBC.

Anderson Frailey, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, affiliated with the UMBC Cybersecurity Institute

Areas of Research/Interest: Economics of privacy, cybercrime, applied microeconomics

Fun Fact About Anderson: I've run a couple of marathons and was the DJ for the University of Texas ice hockey team in college.

Are you a new faculty member? Please take two minutes to fill out the form and submit your bio if you have not already done so.

Help Make this Newsletter Better

Do you have a great idea? Are you organizing an event everyone should know about? Let us know here. 

If you have read this far, well done and congratulations. 

Until next week, 

Manfred van Dulmen

The Graduate School is searching for a tenured faculty member to fill the open Associate Dean for Graduate Education position, ideally to begin in January 2026. This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal on an annual basis. Nominations and self-nominations are welcomed. 

Potential candidates must possess:

• at least five years of experience as a graduate faculty member to include some leadership experience at the department and/or institutional level (e.g., as a graduate program director, department chair, etc.) 

• a significant record of scholarship, teaching, and supervision of masters and/or doctoral students

• a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success

• level of service experience appropriate for a tenured associate or full professor 

Please submit nominations and self-nominations to Lauren Cummings (laurenc6@umbc.edu), no later than Friday, November 14 by 5 p.m. Nominations and self-nominations should include a 1-2-page statement and the prospective candidate's current C.V. Finalists will be interviewed immediately, with the goal of announcing an appointment by the end of the semester. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Education and a member of the Dean's Leadership Team, the Associate Dean will have a recognized record of excellence and experience that will result in strong leadership. The Associate Dean is responsible for providing high quality, intentional support services to graduate students. The Associate Dean coordinates the team's efforts to provide support related to planning, resource coordination, and advocacy of graduate student issues and the assessment and reporting thereof, in partnership with other Graduate School staff, Divisions, and in alignment with UMBC's institutional priorities.

Duties and essential functions may include, but not be limited to the following:  

• Lead efforts to develop new and enhance current policies and procedures consistent with the University's mission and values. 

• Communicate with graduate faculty and administrators regarding issues of graduate program management, administrative processes, and federal and state/USM compliance and regulations. 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for graduate student concerns and facilitate appropriate support including referrals, reporting, and triaging.  

• Serve as deputy dean to represent The Graduate School in absence of the Dean. 

• Provide support for the day-to-day operations of The Graduate School. 

• Serve on University committees; lead/represent The Graduate School and Dean on appropriate University bodies, councils, etc.  

The Office of the Provost invites full-time faculty to apply to two exciting opportunities:

Ideate, Design, Execute & Assess (IDEA) Initiative

Submit proposals for new, credit-bearing interdisciplinary academic programs that address the evolving needs of students and the state of Maryland. Proposals should go beyond current offerings at UMBC or within USM. Awardees will receive course release or a summer stipend, along with university support for program design and proposal development.

Curriculum and Pedagogy (CAP) Fellowship

Propose the development or redesign of courses focused on emerging or in-demand workforce needs in Maryland. Awardees will receive a stipend, optional funding for professional development related to course design or content, and access to course design support.

Help shape UMBC's future curriculum and impact Maryland's workforce readiness. The application period closes on November 20.

Happy Friday and welcome to the fourth installment of the Provost Newsletter. 

What's in a name?

Turns out the polling feature is only accessible by clicking through to the myUMBC posting.  With that now sorted, we'll keep the newsletter name poll up for an additional week to allow everyone a chance to vote for their preferred choice. 

(Scroll, scroll, click, scroll, scroll, vote, smile knowing you have made the world [or at least this newsletter] a better place.)

Just Breathe

There is so much to love about this time of Fall semester! The leaves are turning and the air is crisp. It is also a time when I realize we are well beyond the start of the academic year, there is much work left to be done, but the end of the semester is not close (yet). Sometimes, in order to keep going, we need to take a pause. As a faculty member, I enjoyed reading "The Slow Professor." It provided me with the insight that more is sometimes counterproductive and that reflection and pause can actually lead to our best work (and a healthier version of ourselves). Take time for reflection or take a deep breath.   

For me, reflection also comes when I take walks and enjoy natural beauty (which can be particularly awesome this time of the year). As part of still getting to know the surrounding areas, I would love to hear from you about a favorite trail or park that I should explore. Please share it here. 

Highlights! Highlights! Send Me Your Highlights!

I hope you read this in your best "Newsies" voice.

Each week, I highlight accomplishments to be celebrated, events to attend, and examples of the great work being done by you, our faculty and staff at UMBC. If you know of a program, or event that should be highlighted, please submit it here.

Two Days Left

LIVEWIRE 15: Blazing Trails

Don't miss the final two days of the Department of Music's LIVEWIRE 15: Blazing Trails. Now in its 15th year, the Livewire festival celebrates the "innovators, the brave, the experimental, the 'firsts:' the trail blazers." Special highlights include the faculty contemporary ensemble Ruckus that is planning a recording highlighting its work. Having faculty perform together demonstrates the extraordinary sense of community in the department, one of the big recruitment draws for music students from across the state.

Friday: Talks and concerts ending with Julius Eastman's "Femenine." 

Saturday: Events throughout the day culminating in a performance by Ensemble Bravura.

Festival Schedule: https://music.umbc.edu/events/event/147222/ 

UMBC Interdisciplinary CoLab Accepting Proposals

UMBC Interdisciplinary CoLab is currently accepting proposals for Summer '26. Teams of three students work with a project leader (faculty or staff) for four weeks in June to create an outward-facing, narrative-based research deliverable for a community partner.

Previous projects have engaged with archived texts and images to develop websites for special collections and area museums, built podcasts from oral history interviews, and worked with communities on documentary videos and digital stories.

To find out more about submitting a proposal, visit https://iaac.umbc.edu/call-for-projects/ or email Donald Snyder, principal lecturer, Media and Communication Studies, at dsnyder@umbc.edu. 

New AI Logo Available

As you probably saw yesterday, UMBC's artificial intelligence working group in conjunction with University Communications and Marketing has created UMBC AI logos that can be used for both digital and print branding. I encourage you to download the logo and use it for all of your AI-related projects, programs, and activities. 

For questions concerning the use of the logos, or to add your project or program to the university's official list of artificial intelligence efforts, please email Anupam Joshi, UMBC's chief AI officer, with a copy to Kyle Pokorny. 

New Faculty Spotlights

Each week we feature the newest members of our community.

Aneeka Ratnayake, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health

Areas of Research/Interest: Epidemiology and Public Health

Fun fact about Aneeka: I taught kids how to ski for nearly a decade!

Michelle Antero, Assistant Teaching Professor, Information Systems

Areas of Research/Interest: Enterprise Systems, Business Models, Innovation

Fun fact about Michelle: Learning to play the harp

Are you a new faculty member? Please take two minutes to fill out the form and submit your bio if you have not already done so.

Help Make this Newsletter Better

Do you have a great idea? Are you organizing an event everyone should know about? Let us know here. 

Thank you for your commitment to the Retriever community.

Until next week, 

Manfred van Dulmen

Are you involved in an artificial intelligence related activity, project, or program at UMBC? Organizing a lecture or lecture series? Running workshops or training sessions? Have a research initiative? Using AI in your operations that have external visibility? 

Help us know what's happening

As a requirement of the Maryland AI Act (SB 818 of 2024), the State and University System of Maryland may require UMBC to be aware of all artificial intelligence uses, programs, projects, and their associated risks. Help us stay ahead of the regulatory curve in the quickly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and higher education. 

Email Anupam Joshi, UMBC's chief AI officer, and copy to Kyle Pokorny with a brief description of your AI use that is not a research project. 

UMBC AI Logo

The university's artificial intelligence working group, in coordination with University Communications and Marketing, has created an Artificial Intelligence at UMBC logo that should be used on all projects and programs moving forward. The goal is to create a common identity across UMBC's myriad AI efforts.

The dedicated logos can be downloaded from the files section of the my.UMBC Provost Group.

For questions concerning the use of the logos or to add your project or program to the university's official list of artificial intelligence efforts, please email Anupam Joshi, UMBC's chief AI officer, with a copy to Kyle Pokorny. 

Dear UMBC Community,

We write today to share updates to UMBC's academic and holiday calendars that will affect employee schedules in the short- and long-term, starting this fall.

Thanksgiving 2025

This semester, UMBC will be closed for an Administrative Leave day on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, November 26. (Campus will still be closed on Thanksgiving and Friday, as in previous years.) This is consistent with what has occurred over the past few years (as approved by the president) to ensure faculty and staff have time to celebrate and be with loved ones during this extended period.

Additional Holiday Leave Days in 2026 and Fall Recess

Beginning in calendar year 2026, in accordance with University System of Maryland bylaws, a total of four additional University Holiday Leave days are to be earned each calendar year and observed at the discretion of the institution's president or designee. Each calendar year you will learn how these days are planned for the year.

Regarding personal leave for staff, all regular full-time nonexempt and exempt staff employees shall receive three (3) days (not to exceed 24 hours) of personal leave on January 1 each calendar year, except that employees shall receive four (4) days (not to exceed 32 hours) of personal leave on January 1 in a leap year. Part-time employees working 50 percent or more shall receive personal leave on a pro-rated basis.   

Starting Academic Year 2026 – 2027 there also will be two new changes to the academic calendar that were approved by the Faculty Senate last academic year. The start date of the semester will move from a Wednesday to a Monday. Beginning next year, UMBC will also have a Fall Class Recess on October 12 and 13, 2026. By shifting the start of the semester to a Monday, the total number of instruction days remains unchanged. During the recess, no academic courses will be offered but the university will be open. During this time, managers will work with employees to best determine how to operationally manage this time within their units. A separate communication to all supervisors will go out in the spring from Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management (HRSTM). 

For questions related to the holiday calendar for this year and next, please feel free to reach out to the HRSTM team at hrstm@umbc.edu. For questions related to the academic calendar for this year and next, please feel free to reach out to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@umbc.edu. 

Sincerely,

Lynne Adams
Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Manfred H. M. van Dulmen
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Vote Your Favorite Name

Send Me Your Highlights

Stepping Outside Their Comfort Zone

Thank You, Bill LaCourse, For Your Unflagging Leadership

Homecoming Gets Serious

Meet Me in The Commons: Pop-up Coffee with the Provost Tomorrow

New Faculty Spotlights

Help Make this Newsletter Better