Please schedule SDS finals now to avoid time conflicts! Read to the end of this message!
For students with SDS testing accommodations at the UMBC main campus, please use our Accommodate software (for more info - https://sds.umbc.edu/accommodated-testing-2/) to schedule your final exams.

• During finals (December 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 17th), SDS will be open for testing between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm each testing day. 
• Remember that most finals must be booked in SDS by December 5th but no later than December 9th (the last day of classes).
• You should schedule all of your finals NOW. We may run out of space but can advocate for additional rooms for Finals if we know the demand in advance. Please?

For students registered with SDS who take classes at Shady Grove (USG), please follow the directions on the USG testing website at https://shadygrove.usmd.edu/student-affairs-career-readiness/studenttesting. In general, USG test request forms must be submitted at least seven days before the exam date.  The finals schedule for UMBC-USG course is included in the Regular Final Exams schedule linked below.

Important Notes:

• Online finals: If your course is online, then your final exam is likely to be online. Your instructor will set extended time in the testing platform, and you do not need to schedule it in SDS unless your instructor requires that it be proctored or you need accommodations that can't be used in the online test.
• Common Finals vs Regular Finals:
  • Check the Common Finals schedule first - if your course is not listed then check the Regular Finals schedule. 
  • Both schedules are linked below.
  • Also, check your syllabus for each class to determine if your class will have a final.
• Most finals are 2 hours long, so your extended time will be longer than usual. You must check that your finals do not overlap or exceed testing center hours when you apply your extended time.
• Scheduling Conflicts?: If your final exams will overlap in time or if you have more than two finals on one day, please communicate this information directly to your instructors with your plan for how you would like to schedule your test time with accommodation(s). If there are any difficulties in scheduling alternate test arrangements, don't hesitate to contact SDS for assistance.
• Also, please remember that your instructor must email SDS at disability@umbc.edu to notify us of their agreement to your test time when it differs from your class's scheduled test day/time.
• The registrar's office may have changed the the finals schedules since they were first published. Please double-check your final exam times and locations (if you are not scheduling in SDS) with your instructors.
• You cannot schedule exams in SDS (or DSS at Shady Grove) unless you submitted a Semester Request for Fall 2025 in Accommodate and had your Letter of Accommodations sent to your instructors.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with our office via email (disability@umbc.edu), phone (410-455-2459), or drop by (Math/Psych 212) if you have any questions or if we can assist you in scheduling your finals on the Main Campus.
~~Student Disability Services
Resources:
Scheduling a test at UMBC main campus SDS instructions: https://sds.umbc.edu/scheduling-exams-in-accommodate/

UMBC Finals Schedules

• Common Finals (check this first):
  https://registrar.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2025/09/Fall-2025-Regular-Final-Exam-Schedule.pdf
• Regular Finals (includes the schedule for USG classes on page 2):
  https://registrar.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2025/10/Common-Final-Exam-Schedule-Fall-2025.pdf

We're tabling all week in the Breezeway 11am-3pm to raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis

Winter Break (Jan 6 & 7) & Spring Break (Mar 19 & 20)
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Over the past decade, nearly 700 UMBC staff, faculty, and students have participated in UMBC's two-day Restorative Practices Training—consistently describing it as both personally and professionally transformative.

Whether you work with students, lead teams, support community spaces, or want to strengthen communication and conflict-resolution skills, this training offers tools you can use every day.

Restorative Practices help with:
• Building community in residential, academic, and workplace settings
• Addressing conflict in student orgs, staff teams, and roommate situations
• Strengthening resilience and communication
• Developing mindsets and practices that support leadership during challenging moments

Training Dates:
 Winter Break: January 6 & 7
 Spring Break: March 19 & 20
Choose either two-day session.

If you've never attended a restorative practices workshop, you should register!
If you have attended, please consider encouraging a colleague, student, or someone on your team to join.

https://conduct.umbc.edu/programs/restorative-practices/events-and-workshops-offered/

Chaotic Economies of Confinement: Profit, Dependency, and Extraction in U.S. Immigration Detention 

Disrupting the financial logics of U.S. detention growth

Emily successfully defended her PhD on 11/10/25, presenting her research "Advancing Dust Emission Modeling: Physical Parameterization Improvements and Impacts," under the guidance of Dr. Adriana Rocha Lima.

We're incredibly proud of her and thrilled to celebrate such a remarkable achievement. Congratulations, Dr. Faber! ✨

Each November, we recognize and honor the more than 63 million family caregivers across the United States who devote their time, energy, and love to supporting a family member or friend with health needs.

Caregiver Action Network, the nationally recognized leader of National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month), partners with organizations and advocates across the country to highlight caregivers' challenges, celebrate their dedication, and connect them with the resources they need.

About National Family Caregivers Month

National Family Caregivers Month is a time to:

• Raise awareness of the essential role family caregivers play in our healthcare system

• Educate communities about the challenges caregivers face and the supports they need

• Connect caregivers with trusted resources that make their journey easier

• Honor caregivers for their commitment, resilience, and love

Since 1994, November has been recognized through presidential proclamations, nonprofit campaigns, and community events nationwide. Each year features a unique theme chosen by Caregiver Action Network.

2025 Theme: Plug-in to Care

The focus for 2025 is connection—helping caregivers plug in to care by accessing vital support tools, networks, and educational resources.

Get Involved

• Spread the Word
  Share messages, graphics, and stories using #NFCMonth

• Join Events
  Participate in webinars, conversations, and activities throughout November.

Support Caregivers
Use the available toolkits to recognize caregivers in your workplace, community, or organization.

• Download the Campaign Toolkit
  

• Become a Nonprofit Partner
  

• Explore Past Campaigns

Past themes include:

• 2024: iCare…
  

• 2023: #CaregiversConnect
  

• 2022: #CaregivingHappens
  

Why Connection Matters

Family caregivers are the backbone of our healthcare system. They provide billions of hours of unpaid care each year while navigating work responsibilities, family life, and their own health needs.

By recognizing National Family Caregivers Month, we highlight their experiences and connect them to the resources, support, and community they deserve.

Empowering Future Leaders in Aging at UMBC's Erickson School of Aging Studies

The Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC is dedicated to preparing leaders who will improve the lives of older adults, including the millions who rely on family caregivers.

The Erickson School:

• Offers unique interdisciplinary programs that prepare students to lead organizations serving or advocating for older adults

• Connects the strength of a leading research university with the real-world expertise of leaders in the aging services field

• Provides Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Education
  

• Blends knowledge of human aging, public policy, and management, developing essential skills such as communication, financial acumen, critical thinking, leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making

• Provides Undergraduate Program Internships that give students hands-on experience and career exploration in aging services

• Requires Capstone Projects in both undergraduate and graduate programs, allowing students to apply their learning and design innovative solutions that support older adults and caregivers

By educating emerging professionals with this strong interdisciplinary foundation, the Erickson School helps strengthen programs, services, and systems that support caregivers and older adults across the nation.