As the calendar flips to May and we approach the end of the academic year, the energy on campus is beginning to ratchet up. It is easy to let our own well-being slip. However, if your caffeine-to-blood ratio is currently nearing a critical tipping point, this is your gentle reminder: Self-care is not a luxury; it is a professional imperative.

Refilling the Tank

We often view self-care as a reward for finishing the work, but research suggests it is actually the fuel that allows the work to happen. Burnout isn't just a result of hard work; it is often a result of a lack of intentional recovery. To operate effectively, we must first ensure we are functioning from a place of sustainable health rather than depletion.

Evidence-based Best Practices

To help you cross the finish line with your sanity intact, consider integrating these habits into your daily routine:

• Set small boundaries: Protect your focus hours. Even a 20-minute block without email can significantly reduce the cognitive load of task-switching and decision fatigue.

• Practice “soft fascination”: Attention Restoration Theory suggests that even brief periods of looking at nature such as a walk through the campus or simply looking out a window can restore your ability to focus after hours of screen time.

• Embrace self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a struggling student. Acknowledging that this is a difficult, high-pressure season can actually lower cortisol levels and improve your emotional regulation.

• Accept the power of no: During this season, it is okay to decline non-essential meetings or postpone new projects until the summer. Protecting your bandwidth is a form of respect for the commitments you already have.

A Final Word

Every day, I see the commitment you bring to this wonderful community, and I am grateful for all you have contributed this year. As we wrap up the academic year, I encourage you to take time for yourself. I hope the summer offers not just a chance to recover, but time to truly rest and enjoy.

___________________________________

NEWS & NOTES

New Academic Affairs Shared Inbox and Request Form

On Wednesday, Vice Provost Anupam announced the launch of a new shared inbox and centralized request system for the Office of the Provost-Academic Affairs to better serve the campus. 

The initiative is designed to streamline communication and ensure that your inquiries and requests are directed to the appropriate functions with Academic Affairs as efficiently as possible, and tracked internally for timely completion and response.

Learn more about the new shared inbox and centralized request system. 

Updates on Impact of Executive Orders and Federal Actions on Promotion and Tenure Reviews

Since the beginning of 2025, faculty members across the university may have experienced disruption to their research, teaching, and service activities due to White House executive orders and federal actions. In light of these ongoing impacts, we are continuing modification of protocols surrounding promotion and tenure reviews for the AY 2026 – 2027 cycle.

Learn more about the continued modification of promotion and tenure reviews.

Order Your Regalia For Commencement

If you intend to participate in commencement and need to order regalia, the final day to do so is Saturday, May 2. Click here for more information.

Faculty and Staff: Send Me Your Highlights

As we near the end of the semester, I want to encourage faculty and staff members to send me your highlights and accomplishments from the academic year. Our goal is to call out outstanding work and programs that positively impact UMBC and the community. . If you or your team has done something cool, innovative, exciting, or just downright effective, let me know. Pictures of team members and activities are highly encouraged. The deadline to be included is Wednesday, May 6, so do not delay. Please email highlights and images to Aaron Burnett.

CNMS Dean Search Candidate Open Forums

Tuesday, May 12, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 14, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Monday, May 18, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Location to be announced.

We invite you to join us at an open forum with each of the three finalists for the dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Science. During the forums, the candidates will share their academic journey, present a vision for the college, and participate in an open Q&A session with attendees. Forums will be moderated by the search committee chair. For additional information on the position, please visit the Provost Leadership Search listing.

Your participation is vital to the selection process, and we encourage you to join us for these important events. 

Provide Open Access (free access) to Your Works in ScholarWorks@UMBC

Providing open access (free access) to your publications makes them available to more people and increases citations. You can provide open access to your works in ScholarWorks@UMBC without paying article processing charges.

The Albin O. Kuhn Library will add works to ScholarWorks@UMBC for you. Simply send a link to your Google Scholar page or your publications website, your CV, or a list of your works to Claire Johnson. The library staff can also add unpublished works such as presentation slides if you send them.

If you've previously sent a list of publications, or a link to a list of publications, you don't need to do anything. Each year, the library staff automatically adds your new works, contacting you if anything is needed. 

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR 

Generative AI Workshops

Join colleagues for two practical sessions that examine where generative AI can support teaching, course design, and student learning—and where faculty judgment remains essential. The final sessions are:

Generative AI in Teaching II: Applied Skills and Use Cases

Part II of Introduction to Generative AI in Teaching Series

Monday, May 4, 12 - 1 p.m., Virtual 

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.

Part II of an Introduction to Generative AI in Teaching Series. The FDC is co-sponsoring a series of three workshops facilitated by John Schumacher, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health and a USM Generative AI Pedagogy Fellow for 2025-26. Whether you have already begun exploring AI for your teaching and for student learning, are an AI-skeptic, or are somewhere in between, joining Dr. Schumacher and your UMBC colleagues for these hands-on workshops will help you to deepen your understanding of how AI works, some of the ethical concerns of AI-usage, and when and how to use which Gen AI tools. This workshop is a repeat of one that was initially offered twice in Fall 2025.

Register for part II of Introduction to Generative AI in Teaching Series.

Using Generative AI to Support Your Course Design: A Faculty Workshop

Use AI iteratively to align course objectives & activities.

Monday, June 1, 9 - 10:30 a.m., Virtual

This session practically demonstrates how generative AI can support course design when embedded within a backwards‑design workflow. Rather than isolated prompting, faculty will learn to use AI iteratively to align objectives, assessments, and course activities. Participants will gain repeatable, model‑agnostic workflows for using Gen AI to augment design while preserving faculty voice and pedagogical intent. 

The FDC is co-sponsoring this workshop, facilitated by John Schumacher, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health and a USM Generative AI Pedagogy Fellow for 2025-26. This workshop is a condensed version of The AI-Assisted Educator: A Course Design Sprint that was initially offered in January 2026.

Register for part III of Introduction to Generative AI in Teaching Series.

Global Asias Symposium and Celebration

Monday, May 4

This daylong event will showcase and celebrate the work of the Global Asias Initiative, a three-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation that has created a forum for engaging in conversations in the fields of Asian American Studies, Asian diaspora studies, and Asian Studies. The initiative has created connections across disciplines, departments, institutions, organizations, and communities here on campus and beyond. With our grant from Mellon Foundation coming to a close this year, we are showcasing the many achievements of the initiative.

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Welcome & Belonging and Community Luncheon: Conversations on Asian experiences at UMBC

1:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Keynote Address with Dr. Anna Guevarra

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Global Asias in Dialogue

5:00 – 6:30 p.m. – Global Asias Student Showcase & Reception

Learn more and register for the Global Asias Symposium and Celebration.

Computational Social Science Series: ML Models for Causal Inference Analysis + HPC

Please join us for the last workshop of the semester in the Computational Social Science Series. 

Led by:

• Dr. Eric Stokan, CS3 Director and Associate Professor of Political Science, UMBC 

• Roy Prouty, Assistant Director for Research Computing, DoIT; UMBC Ph.D. Candidate, Computer Science, CSEE

• Sai Vikas Amaraneni, iHARP Research Assistant and UMBC Ph.D. Student

Register for the ML Models for Causal Inference Analysis + HPC workshop.

Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

University Center Ballroom

3-5 p.m. Awards Ceremony and Reception

Please join us in celebrating this year’s Presidential Faculty and Staff awardees, University System of Maryland awardees, and additional distinguished university honorees. 

Learn more and register for the Presidential Faculty Awards Ceremony. 

___________________________________

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.

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to share an important update to the University System of Maryland’s (USM) leave programs that will expand support for employees during significant life events.

Beginning July 1, 2026, USM will implement a new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. This benefit provides eligible employees with fully paid, job-protected leave for qualifying family, medical, and certain military-related reasons.

PFML is a USM-administered benefit and is separate from the State’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. USM employees will continue to receive leave benefits directly through USM.

What This Means for You

PFML allows you to take time away from work while continuing to receive your regular pay and maintaining your benefits and job protection.

In most cases, employees may take:

• Up to 12 weeks of paid leave in a 12-month period

• Up to 24 weeks in limited circumstances

PFML covers:

• Bonding with a new child (birth, adoption, or placement)

• Your own serious health condition

• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition

• Certain military-related situations

What’s Changing

Paid Parental Leave

• USM’s current parental leave policies will be replaced by PFML.

• Leave for bonding with a new child will now be provided through the PFML program.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

• USM will move from a “look-back” method to a “look-forward” method for tracking FMLA leave.

• Going forward, your 12-month FMLA period will begin on the date you first use FMLA leave.

• All eligible employees will receive a new 12-week FMLA entitlement starting July 1, 2026, regardless of prior usage

These updates are designed to better align federal FMLA with Maryland’s PFML making it easier to coordinate your leave benefits. 

What You Should Do Next

No immediate action is required.

If you are planning to take qualifying leave on or after July 1, 2026:

• Please review the linked PFML Employee FAQs.

• Contact Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management-Talent Engagement and Labor Relations team with any questions or for guidance on your specific situation by emailing Michale Tallon at mtallon@umbc.edu.

• Employee and supervisor information sessions will be announced in the coming weeks, with sessions taking place in May and June. 

UMBC is committed to supporting our employees during important moments in their lives. We believe this new program provides meaningful flexibility and support for you and your families.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Lynne Adams
Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Meet the new Board!

Thank you all for voting and hope you'll be able to show support for the many events and meetings we have in store for next semester!

Here are your officers:

President: Gabriela J 

VP: Steven K

Treasurer: Fareedah O 

EC (NEW!) : Angie V 

CPM : Nadia FG

Our VP will be sharing an Overview of F2 and how they run things before we.... Stream the F2 Qualifying! Starting at 2:30pm 

Come hang out and watch with us!

Your CPM, NFG

Original Post (with updated Zoom link): https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/predental/posts/159561

Today at 2pm Toan Bui, a UMBC alum ('21) and current medical student at University of Maryland School of Medicine, will speak about his experience with the medical school application timeline and with writing personal statements. There will also be open Q&A time.

Please note that the Zoom link has changed. See below for the correct link and info!

Topic: Q&A Session: Navigating the Medical School Application
Time: May 1, 2026 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://umaryland.zoom.us/j/93623500174?pwd=B9fs3CICyUKtoLGlQ3qn6wlUDa32kY.1

Meeting ID: 936 2350 0174
Passcode: 254131

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One tap mobile
+13017158592,,93623500174# US (Washington DC)
+13092053325,,93623500174# US

---

Join by SIP
• 93623500174@zoomcrc.com
Passcode: 254131

Join instructions
https://umaryland.zoom.us/meetings/93623500174/invitations?signature=_aAJ6JDnHvGTnBiGYoOOFwD8hY1m8NbtISBQP9AS7eQ

Today at 2pm Toan Bui, a UMBC alum ('21) and current medical student at University of Maryland School of Medicine, will speak about his experience with the medical school application timeline and with writing personal statements. There will also be open Q&A time.

Please note that the Zoom link has changed. See below for the correct link and info!

Topic: Q&A Session: Navigating the Medical School Application
Time: May 1, 2026 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://umaryland.zoom.us/j/93623500174?pwd=B9fs3CICyUKtoLGlQ3qn6wlUDa32kY.1

Meeting ID: 936 2350 0174
Passcode: 254131

---

One tap mobile
+13017158592,,93623500174# US (Washington DC)
+13092053325,,93623500174# US

---

Join by SIP
• 93623500174@zoomcrc.com
Passcode: 254131

Join instructions
https://umaryland.zoom.us/meetings/93623500174/invitations?signature=_aAJ6JDnHvGTnBiGYoOOFwD8hY1m8NbtISBQP9AS7eQ

The Schoalorships listed below are for INDS Students Only 

Bolton Family Scholarship: 

This scholarship is for students with an approved degree plan involving significant quantitative skills (preference given to students with course concentrations in mathematics or science). Special attention will be given to students whose degrees are about innovation or entrepreneurship.

Cathy Hiebler ’98 and Chip Hiebler Scholarship:

This is a need-based scholarship for juniors or seniors who are facing a financial hardship or challenge that may prevent them from completing their degree.

Zainab Damji Memorial Scholarship:

This scholarship is for students who have advanced beyond freshman year, have above a 3.0 GPA, and wishes to pursue a career in some form of education (this could include after school programs, adult learning, citizens science, etc.). Also someone who has demonstrated leadership and service to an identified community. 

Click here to learn about our previous scholarship recipients! 

CelebratingOrgs RSVP is still open. The event will take place on May 6th at 6:00 pm in the UC Ballroom. You can RSVP now using this link. Be sure to sign up soon!

Hello everyone,

We will be having our next meeting on Monday, 5/4 at 12:00 in ITE 231. We will be going over our upcoming range day and plans for the next semester.

As we welcome May, the UMBC community joins the nation in honoring the rich histories, enduring resilience, and vibrant cultures of Asian Pacific Islander Desi/American (APID/A) communities.

The month of May carries profound significance, marking historical milestones that underscore the contributions of the APID/A community to the fabric of the United States, from the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in 1843 to the tireless work of the Chinese immigrants who built the transcontinental railroad in 1869. What began as a week-long commemoration in 1978 has evolved into a month-long celebration, officially recognized since 1992, to honor the diverse narratives that shape our history.

APID/A Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the entirety of our diaspora, including Asians, Southeast Asians, South Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Our strength lies in our breadth, encompassing the Asian continent, the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, and the vast Desi experience. Interested in learning more about this heritage month? Click here to learn more about legislation and history. 

While the month goes by many names, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM), Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month (APIDAHM), and Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPIHM), our mission remains unified: to honor the legacy of the more than 20 million Asian Americans who trace their roots to over 20 unique countries.

This month, we invite you to engage with the distinct histories, languages, and norms that define our community. Join us in honoring these legacies and, more importantly, in doing the work to build spaces of belonging, affirmation, and genuine community here at UMBC.

Join us at the following events as we honor our Asian diasporic community at UMBC.

Friday, May 1

Immigrant Appreciation Day 

Keynote with Anna Lapera | 11 AM - 12 PM | AOK Library Gallery 

Anna Lapera is a pushcart prize-nominated author and educator in the DC area. She comes from a Guatemalan mother and Hawaiian-Filipino-German father, and was raised all over the world. She teaches by day and writes stories about kids stepping into their power in the early hours of the morning. She is a member of Las Musas, a Tin House and Macondo Writers Workshop alum and Kweli Journal mentee, and has received financial support from Tin House, Kweli Journal and SCBWI. When she is not writing or teaching, you can find her visiting trails and coffee shops in DC and Maryland, where she lives with her family. 

"Share Your Story" Artwork Activity | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Commons Terrace

Contribute to our community storytelling project! Students, faculty, and staff are invited to showcase where they're from and reflect on their own or their family's journeys. Help us build a visual "global tapestry" of UMBC.

Monday, May 4

Global Asias Symposium & Celebration 

11 AM - 12:30 PM | Fine Arts 011
Welcome & Belonging and Community Luncheon: Conversations on Asian experiences at UMBC

Join us for our Belonging and Community luncheon to kick off the Global Asias Closing Symposium, which is dedicated to the power of storytelling, creative expression, and community. We will share personal stories through art and reflection to celebrate the joy, calm, and cultural heritage that sustain us. From these individual stories, we will build a shared vision of grounded community and understanding of Asian experiences at UMBC. Through a series of collaborative art activities and dialogue, we will turn our hopes for connection and belonging into a visual representation of our future at UMBC. Hosted in partnership with the Mosaic Center, the Center for Democracy and Civic Life, and the Office of Residential Life.
Lunch is Provided

Keynote Address with Dr. Anna Guevarra

1 PM - 2:15 PM| Fine Arts Recital Hall (Room 118)
Stories of Displacement: Unearthing Submerged Histories and Engaging Multiple Publics 

Join us for a presentation by Dr. Anna Guevarra (University of Illinois – Chicago). Dr. Guevarra will be discussing the “Dis/Placements”: A People’s History of Uptown Project and its connection to her Global Asias in Chicago course and will explore the politics and ethics of involving students in community-engaged projects.
Chai & Samosas Provided after the lecture in the recital hall lobby

Global Asias in Dialogue Roundtable

3 PM - 4:30 PM | Performing Arts & Humanities Building (PAHB) Room 216

Faculty roundtable focused on a discussion of research and teaching through a Global Asias lens. In addition to the panelists, the audience will have the opportunity to discuss pedagogy, curricular development, and research around the study of Asia, its diasporas, and other Global Asias themes. All are welcome.
Refreshments Provided

Global Asias Student Showcase & Reception

5 PM - 6:30 PM | AOK Library Gallery 

Join us for a student exhibition, interactive activities, and a celebration of the work of the grant! We will open the Global Asias Student Showcase Exhibition, which will feature mixed media work from students developed through a series of Global Asias workshops this spring. In partnership with the National Association of Asian American Professionals – Baltimore Chapter, we’ll also have art-making and other activities to interact with.
Food from Ekiben provided

*

Media Bytes: Dialogue and Meaning in Bollywood Lyrics

3 PM - 4:30 PM | Commons 2B23

Hosted by the Center for Social Justice Dialogue

Join us for an engaging and reflective afternoon centered on music, language, and cultural meaning. Dialogue and Meaning in Bollywood Lyrics invites participants to thoughtfully explore the depth behind popular Bollywood songs, examining how lyrics convey emotion, identity, and cultural narratives that often extend beyond direct translation.

Through a guided selection of songs, we will analyze key lyrical excerpts in both their original Hindi/Urdu and English translations. Participants will engage in facilitated dialogue to consider how meaning is shaped by language, context, and personal experience. What nuances are lost or transformed in translation? How do cultural references and poetic expression influence interpretation? This program creates space to critically reflect on these questions while learning from diverse perspectives.

Wednesday, May 6 

Hear Our Stories: Centering Asian, Pacific Islander, & Native Hawaiian Stories

11:30 AM - 1 PM | Commons Mainstreet

Join The Mosaic: Center for Cultural Diversity & The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being as we read and highlight Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian stories through children’s literature.

Storytime begins at 12 PM! 

Monday, May 11 

“Stories We Carry”: AAPI Storytelling Circle

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Commons 004

Collaboration by the Women and Gender Equity Center (WGEC) and The Mosaic Center

Stories hold so much more than words; they carry identity, memory, and belonging!

Join us for “Stories We Carry,” an AAPI Storytelling Circle where we’ll gather in community to share and reflect on our experiences through guided conversation in a supportive space. 

Tea and snacks provided. 

Tuesday, May 12 

Celebrating & Honoring the Life of Alice Wong

12 PM - 1:30 PM |Commons 2B23

Collaboration by Critical Disability Studies & The Mosaic Center

Join us as we honor the life of Asian American disability rights activist, Alice Wong. Wong dedicated her life to challenging systemic ableism through community organizing, storytelling, and fought for disability rights and justice. Copies of her memoir, Year of the Tiger, will be raffled during the event. 

During this event, Critical Disability Studies will be recognizing two of the first graduates of the CDS minor.  

Thursday, May 14

Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards

5:30 PM - 8 PM | UC Ballroom 

This celebration commemorates the achievements of graduating UMBC students while celebrating the vast cultural diversity of Asian communities and heritage on our campus. We recognize the difficulty of choosing just one identifier or term to capture the vast diversity of all people with heritage in the Asian continent, representing 49 countries and hundreds of cultures. We seek to honor the breadth of experience of people across Asia - East, South, Southwest, West, and Central Asia. 

During the gathering, we’ll enjoy food together, we’ll showcase keynote speakers, student musical and dance performances, and award presentations to honor student contributions, as well as the faculty and staff who’ve contributed to their success.

All of these events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy. 

UMBC Film Club's semesterly film festival is back again and WE WANT TO WATCH YOUR MOVIES!!! 
(Check out Film Club's group page here: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/filmclub)

Please submit anything - personal projects, class projects, music videos, animations, silly home videos with friends, etc. - by Wednesday May 6th in the attached google form link so we can screen them on Friday May 8th at 6:30pm in MEYR 030!!!

Submission Form: https://forms.gle/wBGNgp9EQ177iWDJA/

And if you have nothing to submit, then just grab your friends and come by to sit back, have a slice of pizza, and watch a bunch of student-made films!

We'll see you in the movies!

(Note: we will accept almost film as long as it's not extremely long and is appropriate for an audience of college students. Acceptance of your films will depend on runtime, appropriateness, but also amount of submissions, so get your work in as soon as possible!)