Happy Friday and welcome to the latest (and greatest?) edition of the Provost's Perspective.
When I pulled up to the keyboard to pen this I was bemused by the oddness that is the first week of November. Halloween is past, but talking Thanksgiving this early raises serious questions of one's ability to read a calendar.
Luckily, my rising sense of dread was quickly dispelled when I realized there are several milestones on the horizon. While I missed National Donut Day on Wednesday (not to be confused with National Doughnut Day celebrated annually on the first Friday in June), there remain numerous days of note. Today happens to be National Fountain Pen Day and tomorrow is Parents as Teachers Day.
And there is so much more to highlight in November. Did you know for example November is National Adoption Month? As an adoptive parent and scholar of the psychology of foster care and adoption, this topic is close to my heart.
Last week I asked you to share your favorite Halloween candy. The overwhelming majority of respondents cited Reese's peanut butter cups as their favorite with several people highlighting the pumpkin-shaped version as the best. One respondent had this to say: "The chocolate to PB ratio is perfect – traditional cups have too much chocolate, imo."
In the 'I didn't see this coming category,' candy corn placed second with two people mentioning that mixing it with salted peanuts takes it to a different level.
Without further ado …
CAHSS Dean Search Preferred Deadline Today
The preferred submission deadline for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences dean search is today. More information about the position and the process can be found here.
Last Call for Benefit Changes
Don't miss your opportunity to update your health benefits elections. Today before 5 p.m. is your last chance to log on to the SPS Benefits system and make your elections.
Call for Faculty Proposals: IDEA Initiative & CAP Fellowship
I recently announced 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.
UMBC Poll Examines Marylanders' Sentiment About AI
UMBC's Institute of Politics is steadily building a reputation for its polling prowess. In its latest survey of public sentiment, the institute examined Marylanders' sentiment toward artificial intelligence. It's an interesting snapshot of the level of concern people feel about the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
UMBC faculty are, of course, doing great work in AI across disciplines. Much of that work engages with the kind of concerns that were raised in the survey. For instance, Vandana Janeja (IS) and Christine Mallinson (LLC) have developed new tools to detect audio deepfakes that leverage insights from computing and linguistics. Frank Ferraro (CSEE), Tejas Gokhale (CSEE), and Tyler Josephson (CBEE) are working on a DARPA Program called SciFy, that can evaluate the feasibility of scientific claims made online. Many faculty are working to make AI less power hungry and efficient. Cynthia Matuszek (CSEE) investigates how AI operates in spaces with humans in ways that are ethical and fair. Our Dresher Center for the Humanities led by Amy Froide (History) recently hosted a forum on the ethical issues around AI, and our Center for Social Science led by Eric Stokan (Political Science) is currently showing faculty how AI tools can help research in the social sciences.
Introduction to Generative AI & Teaching
In November, the Faculty Development Center (FDC) is co-sponsoring the series, Introduction to Generative AI & Teaching, facilitated by John G. Schumacher, professor of sociology, anthropology and public health, and a USM/UMBC Generative AI Pedagogy Fellow 2025-2026.
Upcoming sessions include:
Generative AI in Teaching II: Applied Skills and Use Cases
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., WebEx or in person
Building on Gen AI & Teaching I, this interactive session highlights applied skills and practical use cases. Faculty will practice effective prompting, explore discipline-specific scenarios, and consider assignment design strategies. Examples will touch on advanced features (custom GPTs/GEMs, Canvas Mode, Deep Research Mode, agent mode) related to teaching.
I'm Not Teaching with Generative AI, But What Do I Still Need to Know?
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., WebEx or in person
This session highlights what faculty need to know, even if they are not adopting AI in their own teaching. Topics include basic Gen AI literacy, a critical examination of student use of AI tools, equity and access, ethical concerns, credible sources of Gen AI information, and implications for assessment and pedagogy.
Reserve your space. Visit the FDC Groups Page to sign up.
New Faculty Spotlights
Each week we feature the newest faculty members of our community.
Brandon Beck, Assistant Professor of Secondary Education (Social Studies), Education
Areas of Research/Interest: History of Black Education, Critical Theory, Social Studies Education
Fun Fact About Brandon: I am an avid foodie. I also am a certified BBQ judge in the state of South Carolina.
Laura Mateczun, Associate Director of Digital Trust / Director of UMBC Cybersecurity Clinic / Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity
Areas of Research/Interest: Local Government Cybersecurity
Fun Fact About Laura: I enjoy hiking and swimming!
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 the Provost's Perspective 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.
Until next week,
Manfred van Dulmen