Dear UMBC Community,
As communities continue to grapple with the horror of mass shootings - including recently at Michigan State University - we know that fear and concern about those events can be felt here at home. While we hope the UMBC community never has to go through that pain, we nevertheless prepare for such emergencies, and we want to make sure you know how the University would respond, where you can find information, and what you should do to stay safe.
The UMBC Police Executive Team has reviewed our active assailant response procedures, and we are committed to continually assessing and improving our public safety protocols and procedures, all with the goal of ensuring your safety. As we do, here is what you can expect in the event of such an emergency.
UMBC Police send text alerts in response to safety and security threats.Ensure that you receive text alerts by registering or confirming your contact information at police.umbc.edu.
If you receive an emergency alert, take it seriously, and follow the instructions provided. If UMBC Police receive reports of an attack on or near campus, you would receive an alert that reads: "Active assailant attack reported on campus. Lockdown your area. Run-Hide-Fight if you are in danger."
"LOCKDOWN" means you should secure your work spaces, classrooms, or living areas to prevent an attacker from gaining access.
"RUN-HIDE-FIGHT" is a simple way to remember what to do if you are faced with immediate danger during an attack.
The best action anyone can take to help prevent an attack is to report any threatening behaviors, including online activity, to UMBC Police at 410-455-5555. Do not ignore suspicious activity. Reporting threatening behaviors is critical to the successful detection and disruption of these attacks. Another way to help prevent attacks is to prevent unauthorized entry into buildings. Inform UMBC Police if you find emergency exits that are propped open or that do not lock properly.
We are scheduling RUN-HIDE-FIGHT training for the UMBC community. Department leads can request training for their offices by contacting John Schaible, UMBC's Emergency Manager, at schaible@umbc.edu. Please visit the UMBC Police Department's Emergency Preparedness webpage for more emergency preparedness resources.
Retriever Integrated Health provides free confidential services for UMBC students. If you are in need of counseling services or would like to learn more about available services, please call 410-455-2472 or visit their website. Faculty and staff can access support through the Employee Assistance Program.
The safety and wellbeing of UMBC's students, faculty, and staff are our highest priority. As you stay informed, alert, and prepared, each of you plays an important role in the work to keep the entire UMBC community safe. Thank you.
Kathy L. Dettloff, Vice President for Administration and Finance
Bruce Perry '97, Chief of Police
Dear POLI Students,
The Department of Political Science and the Alumni Committee is excited to announce the creation of a newly formed mentor/mentee program. This program is aimed at pairing current political science majors with alumni of the program. Our hope is that this program will lead to fruitful connections between you and alumni that are putting their knowledge and skills to work across sectors. With more than 60 alumni from varied personal and professional backgrounds we invite you to apply to the mentor/mentee program.
While there is no obligation to participate, but if you believe you might be interested in this program, please complete the following survey by March 1, 2023. This survey is aimed at providing you with the best mentor based on your interests.
The pairing of mentor/mentee connections may take a few weeks, but if you have questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Eric Stokan at estokan@umbc.edu.
Thank you for interest and engagement.
Sincerely,
Department of Political Science and Alumni Committee, UMBC