As part of our ongoing commitment to security, the Unix Infrastructure group will be conducting its quarterly system patching on Thursday, May 21st and Saturday, May 30th.  
While many of the systems will be patched without any service disruption, there are some systems which require the downtime of key services.  The schedule below outlines which key services will be offline and for how long.

Thursday, 05/21/2026 between 5pm and 10pm (most systems will only be down for a short period during this time):

* Access to Cyrus (legacy) email (accounts not migrated to UMBC Gmail)  * All mail will be queued up and delivered after the server is patched

* All HFS (afs) servers - gl.umbc.edu home directories will be offline

* Between 9:00pm and 10pm only: Certain software licenses will be unavailable (autodesk, cadence, idl, schrodinger, xilinx, mathematica). 

* Between 9:00pm and 10pm only: The web hosting environments (virthost) will be partially unavailable (pages will be available but any database calls will not work)

* Between 5:00pm and 6:30pm only: LDAP-Master and Webadmin will be taken down for system maintenance.  During this time account creations and password changes will be unavailable.  Account authentication and logins will not be affected.

Saturday, 05/30/2026 between 7am and 8am (most systems will only be down for a short period during this time):

* myUMBC lite page will be up resulting in reduced myUMBC functionality

The UMBC Instructional Technology Update is provided by the Division of Information Technology for students, faculty and staff. If you have questions or need help, please consult the Blackboard Help FAQs or directly at www.umbc.edu/blackboard/help.  You can also contact the Technology Support Center at 410.455.3838 or submit an RT (Request Tracker) ticket via the myUMBC Help Menu or directly at my.umbc.edu/help.

HEADLINES

What’s New: Digital Accessibility (DA)

• SP26 Provost’s Perspectives on DA: 3/13 & 4/24 (including delayed Federal implementation)

• Making Math Accessible: A Practical Guide for STEM Instructors 

• Raise a FA26 Bb Course Ally Score by Fixing the Prior Version

• Achieve ‘Strive for 85’ DA Goal: Enroll in CoRE Foundations

• DA Steering Committee Launches 'Strive for 85' Ally Course Accessibility Goal

• UMBC Adopts Mathpix Snip to Advance STEM Digital Accessibility

• Beyond Compliance: How MLLI is Redefining Inclusive Pedagogy 

• Access in Action: 3 Minutes with Faculty Senate President Nancy Kusmaul 

Additional Updates

• Blackboard News

  • SU2026 Courses Created in Blackboard on April 16, 2026

  • Reminder: Blackboard Courses Scheduled for Server Retirement  

  • Latest updates to Ultra courses

• 2026-27 Learning Analytics Mini Grants CFP Due Friday, 6/5/26

Training & Professional Development (view upcoming events)

• Course Roadmap to Equity Digital Accessibility Summer Camp

  • Session 1: June 3 (12 PM - 3 PM): Fine Arts & Humanities

  • Session 2: June 10 (12 PM - 3 PM): STEM & Social Sciences

• What’s New in Ultra for Teaching & Learning (5.15)

• Improve Your Course Accessibility Score with Ally (6.2)

In Case You Missed It: Recordings & Tips (myUMBC login required)

• YuJa Migration Video Collection 

  • Organization Tips for Your Media Library

• Digital Accessibility

  • Practical Fixes for Digital Accessibility in STEM with Dr. Sarah Bass 

  • Accessible Math Collection 

  • Getting Started with Digital Accessibility Collection

  • Website Accessibility Tips

Other DoIT & UMBC News

• Spring Cleaning Your Cloud Storage

• Streamlining Transcription: How DoIT and the AOK Library Leveraged AWS to Enhance Media Accessibility at UMBC

• Accessibility & usability updates for myUMBC (phase 1 & phase 2)

• New Deadline, Same Mission: The accessibility mandate has been extended, but our commitment remains

• New Sites resources, site admin training, and project phases for accessibility 

• UMBC REX Analytics Adds New Portal & Hub 

• Upgrade Alert: RT 6 Has Arrived!

Original post from UMBC News & Magazine

In February 2020, Carter Gerhardt visited the UMBC campus as a newly admitted student. Six years later, he attended the same event, this time as a senior computer engineering student answering questions about his experience. During his time at UMBC Gerhardt faced the challenge of virtual learning during the COVID pandemic and doubt over whether his math skills were strong enough to pursue a major he was interested in. Supportive friends and faculty encouraged him and this May he will walk across the stage with a degree he was close to giving up on. “I’m getting a degree that I originally thought that I couldn’t do,” he says. “I’m proud of that.” 

Q: Why did you choose UMBC?

A: I picked UMBC because I knew the class sizes were smaller. The financial aid was also generous, and that was certainly a big factor. I wasn’t 100 percent sure what major I wanted to do—I was considering mechanical engineering, computer science, and computer engineering. When I looked at companies and organizations in the area that I might want to work for, I saw that a lot of UMBC graduates ended up at those places. 

Q: What are some of the challenges you faced during your college experience?

A: My entire first year of college was virtual because of COVID. My math grades were not as high as I was used to them being in high school. So you could say that college was a wake-up call. It was partly for that reason that I first chose computer science as a major—it was less intimidating than computer engineering. 

But I still enjoyed working with hardware and working with my hands. 

So about two years later, I revisited that decision, encouraged by my friends in the computer engineering major. I talked to my advisor about what changing majors would involve and he walked me through it. Classes were back in person, and that was helpful. I decided I could do it.

Q: What do you like most about the computer engineering degree?

A: Computer engineers have to be good at a lot of things. You learn about electrical signals and power distribution on the hardware side. And you also need to understand software and algorithms. The breadth of topics you get exposed to is really fun to explore.

The sense of community within the major itself is also very strong, especially as you get into upper-level computer engineering courses and your class sizes get a lot smaller. Last fall, I took a communication engineering class with Dr. Seung-Jun Kim and there were five undergraduates in the entire class. (It was cross-listed as a graduate course.) 

The depth of material that you can dive into and the level of instructor support here is fantastic. 

Q: What are your next steps after graduation?

A: I’m part of a scholarship program here at UMBC called Scholarship for Service. It’s a cybersecurity focused scholarship, and for every year of support you receive, you commit to a year of working in the government on cybersecurity. Most of the scholars in that program go into federal service, but you can also work at the state, local, or tribal level, or you can be a cyber educator. I’ll fulfill that commitment, and then see what happens. 

My interests are mainly in wireless/hardware security and radio-frequency engineering, and I would be interested in making medical devices secure. Whether it’s in government service, or in the private sector, the idea of developing products that make people’s lives safer is very appealing to me.

Q: What are some of the student activities you were involved with during your time at UMBC?

A: Since May of 2021, I’ve been a student worker in the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). My supervisor, Courtney Burkett, has been a great mentor and it has been a great experience. It’s taught me job skills and time management, and also it’s been a fun way to learn about the campus and make friends. I’ve been part of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society, the UMBC CyberDawgs, and part of the Baja Racing Team. 

Currently, a few other students and I have been working with Dr. Kim to develop a computer engineering Council of Majors. As a student organization, it would link students and faculty in the major. We [envision the organization growing to be able to] plan social events, networking events, and try to educate students about the opportunities available to them, such as working on research in faculty members’ labs.

In 2021, Carter Gerhardt was part of the UMBC Baja Racing team. Team members, from left to right are Manny Conrad, Carter Gerhardt, Emilie Shoff, Nick Myers, Michael O’Connor, Peter Stein, Alec Atwell, Zachary Love, and Alex Povodyrev. (Image courtesy of Gerhardt)

Q: Has there been a piece of advice that someone at UMBC has given you that has really stuck out in your mind?

A: I’d say the advice that’s stuck the most would be to take the path less traveled. I am currently taking the Computer Engineering capstone engineering class with Dr. E. F. Charles LaBerge [Ph.D. ’03]. When it came time to decide on our project, my teammates and I were leaning toward a flashy project building a vehicle and its sensor systems. But Dr. LaBerge encouraged us to take on a project focusing on an error detecting and correcting algorithm called Reed-Solomon. It’s the same algorithm that helps your phone read QR codes, even if you’re not lining everything up perfectly. It was a topic none of us were really familiar with and it has pushed us out of our comfort zone in a great way. I’ve seen how things I’ve learned across my classes are really coming together in this project and it has been super interesting. 

Q: Looking back, how do you think you’ve changed the most since senior year of high school?

A: Overall, I guess you can say I’ve matured. I would say my ability to look at a problem and break it down into manageable pieces is much better. I’ve come to realize no matter how big a problem you’re presented with, you can tackle it with the right tools.

And the other thing that I’ve learned, especially after having my first year be virtual, is the importance of taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally. It can be easy with the rush of assignments and deadlines to let everything else fall to the side. Some of the things that I’ve incorporated are that I make my bed every morning. That’s definitely not something I did when I was in high school! I exercise regularly and try to get a good night’s sleep every night. I’ve learned I need to take care of myself so I can take care of other people and put my best work forward. 

Accessible web content ensures that all users, including those using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or assistive technology, can interact with your website and digital content. At UMBC, this applies to both Sites@UMBC, myUMBC groups, and other platforms that present course, departmental, or university information.

Accessibility isn't just a legal requirement—it's part of inclusive, student-centered design. This article provides easy-to-follow guidance grounded in WCAG 2.1 standards and the POUR principles:

• Perceivable: Everyone can perceive the content (e.g., text descriptions for images).
• Operable: Everyone can navigate the site (e.g., keyboard-friendly menus).
• Understandable: Everyone can comprehend the information (e.g., clear instructions and consistent layout).
• Robust: Everyone can use the site across different devices and technologies (e.g., follow HTML standards and semantic markup).

Common Accessibility Issues

Even with accessible templates, website editors must ensure that their content meets accessibility standards. Below are common content types and how to improve them.

1. Content & Headings

• Use heading levels in order — don't skip levels.
• Use headings to organize content for both sighted users and screen readers.
• Don't simulate headers by resizing or bolding text.
• Quick Win: Start pages with a clear <h1> and use <h2> for major sections.

2. Color & Contrast

• Don't rely on color alone to convey meaning (e.g., "Items in red are overdue").
• Ensure text contrast is at least 4.5:1 for body text.
• Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker.
• Quick Win: Check your headings and buttons for contrast with the background. Review this handy guide to UMBC Brand Color Contrast combinations.

3. Descriptive Links

• Use meaningful link text (e.g., "View our schedule" instead of "Click here").
• Avoid duplicate links with the same text that go to different places.
• Indicate when a link opens a new window or downloads a file.
• Quick Win: Hover over your links and ask yourself, do they make sense out of context?

4. Tables

• Use tables only for data, not for layout.
• Never use images of tables, instead use the tables themselves to display data.
• Ensure tables read logically when linearized by screen readers.
• Include row and column headers with <th> tags.
• Quick Win: Instead of a table, consider if you can present the same information in a list format!  Lists are easier for a screen reader to accurately present information for.

5. Images

• Images must have descriptions, even thumbnails and inline visuals. Not sure whether an image needs a description or if it should be marked decorative? Try this decision tree.
• Avoid using text inside images since screen readers cannot interpret them.
• Complex images (e.g., infographics, charts) should include a longer description or linked text alternative.
• Quick Win: Ask yourself, "What would I say if I were describing this image out loud?"

How to add descriptions to images in Sites@UMBC:

• Option 1: Edit the page → click image → pencil icon → add alt text → update.
• Option 2: Go to Media → Library → select image → add description.
• Click here for the wiki walkthrough of adding alt text on Sites.

6. Audio & Video

• All videos must include captions.
• Audio content should have transcripts.
• Avoid autoplay media or provide controls to stop it
• Quick Win: Use our video capture platform's auto-caption feature, then edit for accuracy. 

7.  Navigation & Keyboard Access

• Include a "Skip to Main Content" link at the top of each page.
• Ensure all interactive elements are accessible using the keyboard only.
• Avoid hover-only content (e.g., tooltips or dropdowns that don't work with keyboard focus).
• Quick Win: Try navigating your site using only the tab key.

8. Forms & Feedback

• Label all form fields clearly.
• Provide instructions for completing the form (e.g., required fields).
• Avoid placeholder-only labels — use actual visible labels.
• Quick Win: Use the preview mode and test your form with a screen reader.

Creating accessible web content is an ongoing journey that starts with these foundational steps. By applying the POUR principles to your daily work, you help make UMBC's digital landscape more robust and user-friendly for everyone. Let's continue to work together to keep our digital doors open to every member of our community.

Learn more about UMBC's website Digital Accessibility Remediation Project here!

We are pleased to report that the service disruption this morning involving Webex and Google Calendar integrations is now fully restored. Webex users can resume scheduling meetings as usual. If you still encounter difficulties, we suggest logging out and back in to refresh your connection.

Should you need any additional support, please contact us at the Technology Support Center.

Ray Soellner

Director - DoIT

rays1@umbc.edu

Starting on the morning of May 11, 2026, a significant service disruption in the Webex cloud began affecting various sites. As a result, users have reported difficulties, including Webex links when scheduling meetings through Google Calendar. Existing scheduled meetings are unaffected.

Users may track updates regarding this outage using this link. In the meantime, users can schedule meetings directly from their Webex site and copy the meeting details to their Google Calendar. Additionally, users can use @webex (Personal Meeting Room) or @meet (ad hoc meeting) in the location field to schedule a Webex meeting.

Ray Soellner

Director - DoIT

rays1@umbc.edu

In March, we published the "Launching UMBC’s Sonography Program Application" article, recognizing some of the hard work that went into integrating UMBC’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program (DMSP) and building a functioning application for prospective students. These efforts were invaluable and gave many professional teams a chance to shine. Additionally, the application and its relevant technical work were only one side of the coin. Efforts towards bringing the DMSP home stretched much deeper and encompassed more groups than could fit into a single highlight. One of these groups was Instructional Technology and their work and support of Sonography instructors during the course migration from Moodle to Blackboard. 

Prior to the move, UMBC’s Sonography Program had utilized Moodle as its learning management system (LMS) to support in-person courses with an online component. However, the Moodle contract was set to expire in November of 2024, creating a problem in need of immediate addressing. The solution was clear: migrate the program's courses to Blackboard Ultra, UMBC’s own learning management system. However, only one of the instructors ad previous experience teaching with Blackboard, which meant this was an entirely new experience for the majority of instructors. As such, this process was not a simple technology migration, but an ongoing effort of training and supporting instructors on the part of Instructional Technology.

The initiative began in February 2024, when LaMar Davis, Senior Director of the Institute of eXtended Learning (Often shortened and referred to as IXL), reached out to the Instructional Technology team to explain the situation. While ties with Moodle would not be cut until November, the 13.5-month-long Sonography program actually starts in July, making mid-summer an optimal early deadline, if possible. This proactivity on the part of LaMar aimed to avoid having pressure on instructors  when the time to switch from Moodle came. The core task would be to help them learn how to use Blackboard in the same way they designed and taught in Moodle. This training includes all functions, such as course content uploads, grading, assignments, announcements, and engagement. The instructors were very much students themselves in this situation, relying on training sessions and one-on-one support to ensure they were ready and confident to use Blackboard effectively. 

The core figures from Instructional Technology involved in the effort were Dr. Mariann Hawken, Dr. Susan Biro, Dr. Ben Amudzi, and Dr. Josh Abrams, each offering vital contributions to planning, technical administration, and Blackboard training. The process included breaking down Bb training into small, comprehensible pieces for the instructors as the teams were getting an idea of the course content transfer process from Moodle to Blackboard. Ben and Josh led early reviews of syllabi and key topics as the structure for the training took shape. As the process unfolded, Ben also took initiative in organizing Blackboard resources and providing ongoing follow-up and support. The training was delivered through a series of workshops, where knowledge was gradually built up for the instructors. Items such as third-party tools, core Blackboard functionality, and creatable components were addressed throughout. ‘Sandbox’ courses were used as instructors acclimated to Blackboard and practiced different skills, offering a clean environment to do so. Ensuring that the instructors were comfortable and not overwhelmed by the flow of information was at the forefront of the team’s priorities, especially when it came time to build courses in Blackboard, with the same going for establishing ongoing support.. 

A difficult portion of the project pertained to the course creation and enrollment process for non-credit courses, which the Sonography program’s 13.5-month certificate falls under. As support for instructors' transition continued, there was a misalignment in back-end processes due to these factors. The unique course situation with non-credit courses does not align with UMBC’s automated systems for traditional credit 15-week, two-semester academic calendar. This resulted in critical collaboration among Instructional Technology, the Sonography Program coordinator, and other technical teams in DoIT to manually create processes to support Sonography course creation and student enrollments. In particular, this collaboration established a special term code for the timeframe of the Sonography project, which is unique at the institution. 

 The work, support, and new challenges continue, but these efforts have helped the Sonography Program find itself in an excellent spot. All of this work currently involves many of the technical efforts highlighted in the previous article, with the move of the DMSP truly being an all-encompassing effort. As was the case before, much of the success in this continuous initiative would not have been possible without the work of the talented professionals in Instructional Technology.

Willis Crosby, a senior Information Systems major with a certificate in Network Administration, discusses his journey at DoIT. Willis has worked as an Install Technician at AV services for over three years, and in just a few short weeks, he'll be walking the stage and graduating as a member of the Class of 2026. 

Willis’ Digital Story

In his DoIT digital story, Willis talks about his work, how he got here, and the ways his experiences have helped him grow. He’s proud to do what he does, and enjoys coming into work everyday, something he credits as an early sign the role was right for him. Willis also discusses the importance of leveraging your network from the top down, not just your coworkers. Knowing the right people can get you started and put you on the right path.

Please join us in congratulating Willis on his graduation and years of hard work at DoIT, best of luck on the road ahead!

Coco Ni, a UMBC student majoring in Information Systems with a certificate in Chinese Studies, shares her hands-on job experience with the Division of Information Technology’s (DoIT) A/V Services Installs Team. In May, Coco will be joining the other members of the Class of 2026 as they graduate from UMBC! 

Coco’s Digital Story

In celebration of this milestone, Coco recaps her experiences in the DoIT Student Digital Stories series. This video highlights her time and some of the hands-on work she has done performing installs and teardowns of A/V devices around different buildings and classrooms on campus. All of these helped her gain valuable skills to build up her resume and have motivated her to explore a career where she gets to help people with technology.

Congratulations, Coco, on your soon-to-be graduation! We appreciate your contribution to the A/V Services Team.

DoIT is pleased to announce the official launch of the new REX Analytics Portal (REX 2.0), our comprehensive campus reporting portal at rexanalytics.umbc.edu, also accessible at umbc.edu/go/rex20. This portal is powered by Tableau, providing a more dynamic and user-friendly experience for accessing crucial institutional data.

What's New in the REX Analytics Portal?

Importantly, the new portal helps everyone know what’s in the REX data warehouse by showing all reports, even if you don’t have access to them. Also, with the adoption of HelioCampus as our new data warehouse, we have transitioned key institutional reports to the updated REX platform, which offers streamlined access to a collection of new and updated reports, dashboards, and data visualizations in Tableau for authorized users. Main categories include Admissions, Student Records and Enrollment, Financial & Administrative Dashboards, Human Resources, and the Strategic Enrollment Plan reporting. 

In the upper-right corner, click the i icon for an informational overlay on navigating the landing page or the ? icon in the upper-right to request access to reports or get additional help.

Getting Started and Resources

Access the UMBC REX Analytics Portal today to explore the new platform and reports.

• To access the REX Analytics Portal from off-campus (or using the Visitor wireless network on-campus), you will need to be in the VPN.

• The REX Analytics Portal can also be found in the Guide in myUMBC.

• If you have trouble finding a report, in REX, you can look for "_Where are … Reports" in individual folders for links to the reports in the REX Analytics Portal.

• Why & How to Explore Analytics@UMBC – Division of Information Technology 

• How do I self-enroll in the "Analytics at UMBC" training organization?

• Learn more about Analytics at UMBC on our website: analytics.umbc.edu

• Get Help with REX - Submit a Ticket

Future REX Analytics News

We are actively transitioning and developing additional reports. More report folders and categories will be made available throughout 2026. Please keep an eye out for future DoIT announcements regarding new reports, training opportunities, and system enhancements.

Reminder: Authorized faculty, staff, and institutional researchers have varying degrees of access to reports, dependent upon their role at the institution. To request access, click here. Please note that this is a role-based approval process.

Should you have any issues or questions, submit a ticket to the REX Data Analytics team here.