Hey everyone!

We'll be having our Picnic & Write tomorrow, April 23rd, 4-6 PM at the Harbor Courtyard. We hope to see you all there! (FREE FOODDDDD)

• Gain leadership skills
• Help fellow students with their résumés and cover letters
• Assist with special events
• Learn about career development and business etiquette
• Learn and improve presentation skills
• Enhance your own career readiness

To apply, log into your Handshake account and search jobs for “Career Peer Program 2026 2027”.

Note: Open to All Majors. For best consideration, please apply early (follow instructions in Handshake).

 For additional information about the Career Peer Program watch this brief YouTube video: 

Private room available in a 2BHK townhouse for a male at Westland Gardens for a 3-month move-in, available from May to August. 

Fully furnished 2BHK townhouse: 

What you get:

• Spacious living room with sofa + TV
• Fully equipped kitchen (Oven, Microwave, Fridge, Dishwasher)
• In-unit Washer & Dryer
• Central heating & cooling
• Just a 1-minute walk to the UMBC bus stop
• Only 10 minutes walk to campus

DM for more information: +1-202-937-5716 or email me at IO95979@umbc.edu

There's no more food in Commons 308, thank you to those that came by.

Got an idea that could change campus life? It’s time to step into the tank! 🦈💡

The GSA Student Affairs Senators are hosting the Graduate Student Shark Tank, and we want to hear your pitches. Whether it's a new student resource or a campus improvement, this is your chance to get your ideas in front of university administrators and staff.

Here is everything you need to know:

The Details

• 🗓 Date: April 28

• 🕐 Time: 1:00 PM

• 📍 Location: Commons 329

• 🍱 Bonus: Enjoy FREE Biryani while you pitch!

The Format

• Pitch: 1–2 minutes to sell your idea.

• Q&A: 1 minute of questions from our "Sharks."

• Rewards: Win prizes for the best ideas!

How to Enter

To secure your spot in the Tank, scan the QR code and submit a brief 2-sentence summary of your idea.

[!IMPORTANT]

Deadline to apply: April 26

Don't let your ideas stay ideas—bring them to life and grab some lunch while you're at it. See you there! 🎓✨

NESSies,

Behold the latest issue of the CUSS (Council of University System Staff) newsletter.   Highlights (for me, anyway) include Roy's column and info about the state's paid leave program coming July 1, but the other articles are pretty good, as well.

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/hlM49lOpWlPRCOXk?ref=email

Enjoy!

Cathy

As announced last month, UMBC is working toward a campus-wide goal of highly accessible courses by the end of 2026. To help, DoIT recommends that faculty identify accessibility gaps in prior versions of the same course, and make meaningful improvements before the Fall 2026 term begins.

Improve Existing Courses with Ally 

Fall 2026 Blackboard course shells will be available in late July. If you’ve taught a course before, you have a head start. UMBC’s Blackboard Ally tool has already scanned your previous course content and generated accessibility scores. As such, you can:

• Review your Ally Course Accessibility Report to identify which materials need improvement
• Remediate low-scoring content using Ally’s recommendations
• Update your course accessibility score toward UMBC’s “Strive for 85” goal
• Copy improved content into your fresh Fall 2026 course shell

This approach allows you to build on your existing work while creating a more accessible experience for your fall students.

Get Support Along the Way

You don’t have to tackle accessibility alone. UMBC is committed to helping you succeed:

• Attend CoRE Digital Accessibility Summer Camp (June 3 or June 10)
• Enroll in CoRE Foundations training: This flexible, self-paced Blackboard course teaches practical tools for digital accessibility and can even lead to a microcredential recognizing your expertise.
• Review Ally FAQs: Visit umbc.edu/go/allyfaqs for answers to common questions.
• Request a consult with Instructional Technology staff.

Your efforts contribute to UMBC’s institutional goal of achieving an 85% or better Ally score across all courses by the end of 2026.

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection 
  • What's new in Ultra? | Known Issues 
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff
• UMBC Digital Accessibility| Ally FAQs | Ally Demo | Ally Report (VPN required)
• PIVOT | Academic Continuity |Keep On Teaching |Student Technology Resources

FREE FOOD IN COMMONS 308

Make your own Halal Guys bowl in Commons 308, until supplies last!

On April 21, 2026, Chelsea Mays-Williams of LLC Cohort 23 successfully defended her dissertation and earned the title of Doctor of Philosophy.  Her degree will be conferred next month.

Her virtual defense went smoothly and she gave a powerful presentation of her dissertation research, Black Women Navigating West Baltimore by Homeplace: Methodologies of Homeplace for Resilience.

The program wishes to acknowledge the guidance and commitment of Chelsea's committee:

Chair:

            Ramon Goings, Language, Literacy, and Culture

Members:

            Nicole King, American Studies

            Michelle Scott, History

            Rebeca Gamez, Vanderbilt University

            Sydney Lewis, University of Maryland, College Park

Congratulations, Dr. Mays-Williams!

April 22 is National Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Day!

Assistive technology plays a vital role in the daily lives of people with disabilities and older adults—supporting learning, communication, work, and independent living. AT is not a luxury; it’s a necessity that opens doors to education, employment, and full participation in our communities.

Today, we also recognize the importance of continued support and funding to ensure everyone who needs AT has access to it. Join us in celebrating the staff, students, and professionals making an impact every day through assistive technology!

To celebrate AT Awareness Day, we invite you to continue the conversation at: Tea Time with Tori – April 24 at 12:00 PM
Join SDS’s Assistive Technologist and Accessibility Specialist, Tori Jakpa, in Math/Psychology 222 for an engaging and welcoming conversation around disability, accessibility, and assistive technology.

Save your spot here! Enjoy tea, light snacks, and meaningful dialogue with fellow UMBC students, faculty, and staff. Whether you’re curious or experienced, this space is for you!

Questions or accommodation requests? Email tjakpa@umbc.edu with “Tea Time with Tori” in the subject line. UMBC is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all. This event is open to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category.