Dear UMBC Community,

I am writing to provide an update on our efforts following UMBC’s 2024 agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to strengthen and expand initiatives for preventing and responding to reports of sexual misconduct and sex discrimination under Title IX. The agreement followed a lengthy investigation by the DOJ that found systemic failures in the university’s Title IX compliance between 2015 and 2020. 

The agreement is in effect through the 2028 – 29 academic year and commits us to taking many steps to bolster our Title IX office and its work, provide specific support for student-athletes and the Athletics Department, expand training for all members of the community, and provide financial relief to certain individuals, as determined and directed by the DOJ. 

The update provided here shares a report of progress since the fall 2025 update. As required by the agreement, UMBC submitted its fourth monitoring report to the DOJ this winter. The university has fully implemented all of the initial provisions of the agreement and remains in the monitoring phase of the agreement. Thus, the work that we continue to do goes above and beyond what is required under the agreement. It is not the agreement that drives our work, but rather our commitment to uphold the highest standards of care, safety, integrity, and accountability for our campus community. 

Our recent work includes:

• Increased engagement with our Coordinated Community Response Team to receive feedback on policies, procedures, programming, coordination, and communication efforts;
• Successful implementation of mandatory Title IX training for students and employees;
• Expansion of specialized education and training efforts to include offerings for those designated as confidential resources;
• Targeted support and resources for student-athletes; and
• Integrated use of restorative practices as an informal resolution method as appropriate.

The Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR) in particular bears a significant load of this work.  And, none of this is possible without the dedicated staff who work tirelessly across campus to uphold our commitment. Thanks to the many campus partners who continue to engage and support these efforts.  

Sincerely,

Tanyka M. Barber
Vice President for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer

To view the original post, please click the link below:
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/announcements/posts/158745

Hi MSR and STAT students,

We have a great opportunity for students to participate in a departmental outreach event with visiting students from the Ingenuity Project at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. This is a meaningful way to engage with the community, and participation can be documented as service on your CV or resume. We encourage our Mu Sigma Rho members and STAT students to join if available.

For additional information, you may also refer to the Pi Mu Epsilon group.

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/pme/posts/158823

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As part of our Departmental outreach programs, we will be hosting 25+ Ingenuity Project (Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) students on campus today. If you are available in the 9am-1pm region, we have opportunities for you to be involved. This is service, and can be documented on your CV or Resume. 

9-10am is the walking tour

10-12 is classroom visits and people hanging out in MP412 (the computer classroom)

12-1pm is lunch at True Grits

You are invited to any or all of the above. For the tour, be in the Lounge by about 8:55. Drop by 412 any time in the 10-12 window. Be in the Department lounge at 11:55 for lunch. 

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Voyages: Chapter Seven

Presenters: Michael Duffy, Christian Price-Burnett
Mentor: Nigel Semaj, Theatre

Special Exhibit, 2 – 2:30 p.m., RAC Upper Track, First Floor

The National Aquarium provides an annual residency wherein local Baltimore artists create a focused performance piece supporting the Aquarium’s mission of awareness and compassion for nature. In collaboration with Submersive Productions, we researched and developed choreography to portray the interaction between flowing water and marine life. We discussed our personal emotional connections to ocean life, participated in guided improvisation exercises, and explored emergent ensemble movement behavior from simple choreographed rules; with this, we developed a vocabulary of movement, both in terms of dance and character physicality. This vocabulary synergized with puppeteering, costumes, projections, and sound to create a cohesive and immersive audience experience. The research culminated in a one-night performance throughout the Aquarium, directly welcoming the audience as part of the experience. We gained exposure to collaborative devising practices, interdisciplinary methods of embodied storytelling, and the unique challenges of site-specific theatre.

This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

As part of our Departmental outreach programs, we will be hosting 25+ Ingenuity Project (Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) students on campus today. If you are available in the 9am-1pm region, we have opportunities for you to be involved. This is service, and can be documented on your CV or Resume. 

9-10am is the walking tour

10-12 is classroom visits and people hanging out in MP412 (the computer classroom)

12-1pm is lunch at True Grits

You are invited to any or all of the above. For the tour, be in the Lounge by about 8:55. Drop by 412 any time in the 10-12 window. Be in the Department lounge at 11:55 for lunch. 

You are invited to the CBIC final Event!  

It's time for our Annual CBIC Event today, Thursday, April 16th from 5:30-8:30 pm! 

Are you interested in networking with other students and entrepreneurs?  Join us at 5:30 pm before the competition begins at 6:30 pm for appetizers and networking!  Attendees will have the opportunity to meet alumni entrepreneurs, students, and community members interested in entrepreneurship.

Students submitted their business plans and the judges have decided on the finalists!  Come hear them present their ideas, hear the judges' decisions, and see who wins up to $4,000 seed funding to launch their ventures!

Come support these students as they take this step towards starting a business or social impact venture! 

What?  The CBIC Final Event

Where?  University Center Ballroom

When?  Today!  Thursday, April 16th

5:30-6:30 pm: Appetizers, Student Venture Tabling, and Networking

6:30-8:30 pm: The CBIC Competition Final Event                                                               

You spent all that time putting together the perfect outfit for the weather and forgot to eat breakfast 

Don’t worry, we got you.

Pull up to the Grad Retriever Breakfast in collaboration with the AOK Library at OGSL (Commons 308). Stop by and see hear about all the services we forget we have access to as grad students.

Date & Time: 4/16 at 10am
Free breakfast + good vibes

Come grab some food, see what AOK Library has to offer, connect with other grad students, and yes show off that outfit you put effort into.

Living Water is having our weekly Large Group tonight Thursday, 4/16, at 7:30PM in MEYER030!

Come out and see what it really means to live for Christ, because you don’t have to settle for the easy path when something greater is calling you! It’s your choice: the easy life or the Christ life come find out what makes the difference!

See you tonight yippee!

UMBC’s Department of Information Technology highlighted the work of two of its student security technicians who have played a critical role in ensuring that UMBC’s digital environment remains safe and uncompromised. They are Grace Robinson and Ouwen Dai, who have served in their DoIT roles during their academic careers and are now taking the next step into the professional world. Both are 2026 graduating CSEE seniors who have followed the cybersecurity track in the Computer Science program.

Read more about Grace and Ouwen and their work in DoIT’s Meet the Seniors Behind UMBC’s Cybersecurity post.

Hello UMBC Community!

Please join us Thursday, April 16 for a Lunch & Learn from 12:00 - 1:30 in CWB 103 and/or a Public Talk  from 4:00 - 5:30 in UC 310. 

Rabbi Lauren Tuchman is the first blind Rabbi to be ordained in the United States. She will be leading a conversation for students to use your own cultural and religious resources to overcome challenges. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome at the public talk to hear more about her story. 

This event is cosponsored cosponsored by the Critical Disability Studies Minor & Student Disability Services. 

Calling all Jewish students who identify as Orthodox or religious: we are looking to hear from you about your experience on campus, your needs, and how we can support you. We are applying for a grant to help support Orthodox and religious students, and we want to hear from you, regardless of whether or not you are involved in Hillel! Please fill out the survey (https://form.jotform.com/261045492921052) by Monday, April 20!