Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Academic Affairs team in the Provost Office, I am writing to share updates and reminders related to the start of the 2026-2027 academic year.
Key Academic Calendar Adjustments
The following changes to the academic calendar were discussed and approved by the Faculty Senate. They are designed to better support our community's well-being while maintaining instructional standards.
- Monday Semester Start
Beginning this fall, the official start of the semester will move to Monday. This shift allows us to adjust the calendar mid-semester without changing the total number of required instruction days.The first day of the Fall 2026 semester will be Monday, August 24, 2026.
- Fall Class Recess and Thanksgiving Break
Beginning Fall 2026, we will observe a new fall class recess. During the fall recess, to be held on Monday, October 12, and Tuesday, October 13, 2026, no academic courses will be offered. The university will remain open during the fall recess. We will also observe a Thanksgiving break from Wednesday, November 25, through Friday, November 27, 2026.
Welcome Weekend Activities
Please mark your calendars for Welcome Retrievers activities including Move-In and Convocation. Returning students will move in on Thursday, August 20, 2026, and new students will move in on Friday, August 21, 2026. The co-chairs for the welcome events are Racquel Barnes (Admissions & Orientation), Jen Dress (Student Affairs) and Kendall Pete (Residential Life).
Convocation will take place in the afternoon on Friday, August 21, 2026. Convocation is an important way to welcome our newest scholars into the UMBC community and is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and their families this year. Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in this event. This year, we are excited to host college receptions following convocation. The co-chairs will be reaching out to identified contacts to discuss details and next steps in the coming weeks. A variety of Welcome Retrievers activities will take place on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026, as well.
For those of you who have helped with and/or planned welcome activities in the past, the co-chairs will be reaching out to you soon. In the meantime, if you have questions please email welcomeretrievers@umbc.edu.
I appreciate your flexibility as we plan ahead for the coming year.
Sincerely,
Anupam Joshi
Vice Provost and Chief AI Officer