ARE YOU READY TO ROCK THE RAC????

3:00-4:00pm on the RAC Stage- URCAD headliner...

Fever Dream

UMBC rock band featuring:

Dr. Jeffrey Lieps (Professor, Biological Sciences)

Dr. Stephen Caruso (Teaching Professor, Biological Sciences)

Ryan Bacon (6th year PhD student in Biological Sciences)

Elana Frazier (1st year PhD student in Biological Sciences)

Ginevra Imberti (Biochemistry undergraduate student)

Claudia Gualtieri (Manager)

And join us at the URCAD afterparty on Thursday, April 23 at 7pm at

Fish Head Cantina

4802 Benson Ave

Halethorpe, MD

URCAD is this Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

Celebrate Earth Day all week with the Office of Sustainability and the Eco-Ambassadors! All students, staff and faculty are welcome to join the celebrations.

Starting Monday 4/20 through 4/27, the campus community can participate in the returning Bring Your Own Mug Week Raffle by bringing a reusable mug to any of our campus coffee shops for a discounted drink (PS - this discount is available all year long!) A QR code will be posted for particpants to enter a raffle.

Tuesday 4/21 at 11am to 1pm - Drop and Swap your clothes for new to you pre-loved styles! Bring donations directly to the clothng swap and leave with fresh pieces for your closet.

Wednesday 4/22 at 1130am - Join Eco-Ambassador Taylor for a mending workshop to learn sewing and stitching techniques to repair your favorite items in Commons 329.

Wednesday 4/22 at 12pm - Run or walk the Earth Day 3k with OoS at the RAC - Sign up on IMLeagues. 

Thursday 4/23 at 1130am - Stop by the Commons Terrace to help us paint bee boxes that will create habitat for different pollinator species at the community garden on campus!

Friday 4/24 from 12-1pm - Join a guided group hike down UMBC's own hiking trail, the Herbert Run Greenway and participate in a nature photo competition!

Want to help coordinate next year's Earth Week events and climate action programs? Apply now to be an Eco-Ambassador - applications close 4/30.

🔑 Availability:
Permanent accommodation available for 1 Female starting from July at 5003 , Westland Boulevard (Maiden Choice Apts) 21227.
🚌 
Convenient Location: Bus stop right in front of the house & 5 mins walk to the university. 
🏠 2 BHK + 1 Bath. Fully furnished house including Sofa, Microwave, and Oven. 
💸 Affordable Living: Rent: $385+utilities.
📞 *Contact Details:
*443-713-9159
*667-452-0695

It’s time to celebrate our grads! 🌟 Join The Mosaic for our end-of-year Affinity Celebrations & Awards: 

Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards | May 14 | 5:30 PM 

Black & Latine/x Celebration & Awards | May 18 | 5:30 PM

📍 Location: UC Ballroom, 3rd Floor Dress in your "celebration best" and join us for food, awards, and performances.

Don't forget to RSVP by the deadline to receive your honorary graduation cords! 🎓✨

If you would like to nominate a community member for one of our Affinity Celebration & Awards, you may nominate them here using the Awards Nomination Form or https://forms.gle/TLH8uDwccy5gBJtj8. You may submit multiple nominations for the same or different individuals. Please submit all nominations by April 20th, 2026.

The UMBC Hilltop Society is sponsoring two events for UMBC alumni, faculty, and friends featuring a panel session on Artificial Intelligence: Making Our Lives Healthier, Safer, and More Efficient, moderated by Dr. Anupam Joshi, UMBC Vice Provost and Chief AI Officer.

The panels will showcase the transformative power of AI across various sectors and its real-world impact on our global community. Each evening will include a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, providing an exclusive opportunity for high-level networking with influential leaders in the UMBC community.

• 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, MD
• 5-7:30 pm Thursday, May 28, 2026, The Center Club, Baltimore, MD

Get more information and register here.

Dear UMBC Community,

As the 2026 Maryland legislative session concludes, I am pleased to share an update on key outcomes that support UMBC’s mission and students, including how our leaders engaged with legislators during the session. As you may know, a significant portion of UMBC’s overall budget is made up of dollars appropriated by the Maryland General Assembly, and the laws they pass can often impact aspects of our operations as a state institution.

Hundreds of bills were introduced during the legislative session (January 14 – April 13, 2026). During that time, President Sheares Ashby engaged scores of senators, delegates, agency heads, and other officials, sharing UMBC accomplishments and goals. She also attended the Governor’s State of the State address in Annapolis and hosted members of the General Assembly at the Peake to watch the men’s basketball team win the America East championship on their way to March Madness. I’d also like to recognize our UMBC student legislative interns, including the 40 interns from our Maryland General Assembly Legislative Intern Program, who were so helpful throughout this year’s session.

In early February, we hosted a “UMBC in Annapolis” reception for alumni serving or students interning in the General Assembly or state government. House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk delivered the keynote address and paid tribute to UMBC alumna Speaker Emerita Adrienne Jones ’76 on her retirement.

The Senate of Maryland also recognized scores of UMBC athletes from the chamber floor with an official citation and students briefly met with Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller for a quick photo. Athletic Director Tiffany Tucker and a handful of student-athletes later joined Lieutenant Governor Miller at Camden Yards to watch the Baltimore Orioles beat the San Francisco Giants.

Below are key takeaways from the legislative session.

Budget

The State of Maryland’s budget forecast remains challenging due to revenue concerns and a larger structural deficit projected over future fiscal years. However, following significant cuts to the University System of Maryland (USM) in FY26, this year's budget contains no direct cuts to our institutions. The State approved $209,995,964 for UMBC's operating budget in FY27 along with other investments.

Also, given the reduction in available federal research funding over the past year, the General Assembly approved a $25 million fund, distributed across the University System of Maryland, to partially mitigate this loss. We expect to learn more in the coming weeks.

Additional Legislation

• Collective Bargaining Rights:

(HB 141) provides collective bargaining rights to eligible Graduate Assistants at UMD and UMBC. Effective July 1, 2028.

(SB 6) provides collective bargaining rights to eligible non-tenure track faculty at USM institutions, Morgan State University, or St. Mary's College of Maryland (for those whose primary assignments are academic instruction). Effective July 1, 2026.

• AI Partnership (SB 597): Establishes the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the USM as a single nexus for statewide AI initiatives. Creates the Artificial Intelligence Public Services Fellowship in the USM Capital budget.

• Direct Admissions (SB 324): Establishes an optional direct admission program for participating colleges and universities, allowing eligible public high school students to apply starting in the 2028 – 2029 academic year. It requires the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), the State Department of Education, and public senior institutions to set eligibility requirements, including prerequisite course completion and application deadlines.

• Fallen Heroes Tuition Exemption (HB 3): Exempts dependent children of State or local public safety employees who die in the line of duty from paying out-of-state or out-of-county tuition at a Maryland public institution of higher education.

• Maryland Public Service Scholars (MPSS) (HB 809): Increases the appropriation for the Walter Sondheim Jr. Public Service Internship Scholarship Program, which develops a public service talent pipeline. The bill also allows for an increase to the maximum permissible stipend to keep the MPSS competitive with other programs.

• Out-of-state tuition exemption (HB 1530): Sponsored by UMBC alum Gabe Acevero, among others, this bill decreases the required tax filing period from three years to two years for an individual or their parent/guardian to be eligible for an out-of-state tuition exemption at a public higher education institution. This is aimed at helping undocumented students afford college.

• Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Pilot (SB 529): Requires the USM, in consultation with the State Department of Education and MHEC, to develop recommendations for a Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program and a teacher preparation pathway. It also establishes a Workgroup to develop recommendations and report to the General Assembly by June 30, 2029.

Several other bills passed to expand tuition support and affordability for Maryland students, including foster youth and military-connected students, and to strengthen student support systems, such as resources for parenting students and improved data collection for student success strategies. New statewide policies were also enacted, impacting public institutions and communities by shaping how colleges and universities coordinate with state and local partners on evolving public safety and public policy priorities.

Our office is grateful for the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who pulled together to illustrate the remarkable value UMBC generates for our state and the nation. These outcomes reflect continued investment in Maryland higher education and create new opportunities for UMBC to promote student success, innovation, and access. We will continue to share updates as implementation timelines and campus impacts become clearer.

Sincerely,

D. Paul Monteiro
Vice President for Government Relations and Community Affairs

Hello Everyone!
Are you interested in running for a position on the UMBC PHCOM executive board? 👀 

Good News! Our E-Board Election Interest form is live now! Please click here to access the form and more information on the election process. The interest form closes on April 24th, 2026 @ 11:59 pm.

Hello Everyone!
Are you interested in running for a position on the UMBC PHCOM executive board? 👀 

Good News! Our E-Board Election Interest form is live now! Please click here to access the form and more information on the election process. The interest form closes on April 24th, 2026 @ 11:59 pm.

Hello Cyberdawgs!

Tonight, we will be hosting Game Night in ILSB116A from 7:15 to 8:15! There will be pizza, snacks, and a ton of fun! Stop by to decompress from the semester and get some free food! There will not be a webex for tonight, so be sure to show up in person!

Club elections are next week, on April 27th! Interested in becoming a board member or know someone who is? Sign up here before April 27th:
https://forms.gle/vTxUFkpfDC4uG46g8

Interested in competing on the Cyberdawgs Competition Team? Tryouts will be held May 1st in ITE231 and May 2nd in PAHB234 If you're interested, make sure to sign up now! Sign up here before April 24th:
https://forms.gle/yDUSLrvNihou5cxu5

Firetalks are back! Firetalks are a series of small talks presented by you to share knowledge about a cool or interesting topic in Cyber. If you're interested, Firetalks will be held May 4th Be sure to sign up here before then:
https://forms.gle/XY66g3ddFLb52vWd6

As a reminder, tomorrow, we are hosting another one of our Tuesday Workshops! This week, one of our competition team members, Dipa, will be presenting on reducing attack surfaces in competitions like CCDC! That workshop will be Tomorrow in PAHB108, from 7:15 to 8:15! Join in person or online through the Webex for that at: 
https://umbc-students.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs

Stay Classy
Alex Henning
President of Cyberdawgs
Don't Do Crime

Our end-of-the-year celebration award nominations form CLOSES TODAY. 

In honor of our amazing students, faculty, and staff at UMBC, each event includes awards to recognize these incredible community members for their outstanding contributions. To see a description of ALL of our awards, please click here. 

Award nominations for both celebrations can be submitted here: https://forms.gle/TLH8uDwccy5gBJtj8. You may submit multiple nominations for the same or different individuals. Please submit all nominations by the end of the day, April 20. 
Graduating students can still RSVP until April 30th to reserve their honorary cord. RSVP links for graduating members and general members for each event can be found on our myUMBC page or below.  If you are bringing guests or family members, please include them in the RSVP count. 

• Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards: This celebration commemorates the achievements of UMBC community members and graduates while celebrating the vast cultural diversity of Asian communities and heritage on our campus. We seek to honor the breadth of experience of people across Asia - East, South, Southwest, West, and Central Asia. 

• Black & Latine/x Celebration & Awards: This celebration is in recognition of the achievements of UMBC's Black and Latina/e/o/x graduating students as well as contributing community members. We seek to honor the vast and impactful experiences of people across our Black & Latine/x community at UMBC. 

During both gatherings, we'll enjoy food together, 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.

Both of these events are open to ALL 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.