To all users,

The downtime scheduled for today has been completed. 

Outcomes of Today’s Downtime

1. Based on the recommendation of SIG-CPU, DoIT RCD Staff have deployed a new “develop” partition that all users can access. You can read more about this in our documentation on chip partitions. 

2. DoIT RCD Staff have applied security and software patches to both our chip and RRStor clusters. 

Note that while no running jobs were cancelled, some nodes are still in a “draining” state.

As always, remember to submit any issues you have here: https://rtforms.umbc.edu/rt_authenticated/doit/DoIT-support.php?auto=Research%20Computing

And check out our documentation here: https://umbc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/faq/pages/1082589207/UMBC+HPCF+-+chip

Happy computin’,
Max Breitmeyer, HPCF Specialist

The Maryland Primary Election is June 23, 2026, and if you're not registered to vote, you have until midnight tonight to register online or by mail. While general elections get most of the attention, primary elections are often where key decisions are made. In many Maryland races, primaries effectively decide who will hold office, making these elections an important opportunity to shape who represents our communities. This year's primary includes races for federal, state, and county offices. Funding for higher education, housing policy, transporation, health care access, public safety, climate policy, and how our tax dollars are spent in Maryland are all influenced by who wins these races. Voting is one of the most direct ways we can have a say in the policies and priorities that shape our community, both on campus and beyond.

You can register using: 

• Maryland's Voter Registration System. It only takes five minutes. 
• Maryland Voter Registration Form. You must download and mail this form today. 

Maryland has a closed primary, which means you must be registered with a political party to vote in that party's primary. If you're currently unaffiliated, the deadline to change your party affiliation is also today. You can always change it back after the election. If you'd rather stay unaffiliated, you can still vote in some local races and on ballot measures. Learn more and register on the Maryland State Board of Elections website. 

Missed the Deadline? You Still Have Options. 

Same-day registration is available during: 

• Early Voting, June 11–18, 2026 from 7 AM–8 PM. Find an early voting location. 
• On Election Day, June 23, 2026 from 7 AM–8 PM. Find your polling location.  

You must bring proof of your Maryland address to register. Examples include: 

• MVA-issued license, permit, ID card
• Change of address card
• Your paycheck
• Bank statement
• Utility bill
• Official student housing documentation showing your Maryland address
• Any other government document with your name and Maryland address

Can I Register?

You can register in Maryland if you are:

• A U.S. citizen
• A Maryland resident
• At least 16 years old

You must be 18 to vote in the general election. If you're 17 now but will turn 18 before the General Election on November 3, 2026, you can still vote in the primary.

Already Registered?

Take a minute to check that your registration information is up to date, especially if you've moved, changed your name, or switched addresses since the last election. You can check your registration status using Maryland's Voter Search Portal.

Voting at UMBC?

UMBC does not have a polling location. However, if you are voting in the Maryland Primary Election via mail-in ballot, you can drop your ballot in the drop box located on the 1st floor of the Commons. The box is secure. The Board of Elections retrieves ballots from this box at the end of each day. If your ballot belongs to another Maryland county, it will be forwarded to the correct election office. Please note this drop box is for Maryland voters only.

Out-of-State Student? 

Registering in Maryland allows you to vote on issues and offices that affect where you live during the school year, while remaining registered in your home state allows you to vote on issues and offices that affect your permanent home community. Both options are valid. However, you can only vote in one election. Find your home state's voter registration. 

How to Get Involved Beyond Voting? 

Are you interested in supporting the election process? The Baltimore County Board of Elections is still recruiting election judges to work at polling stations during the 2026 primary election. These are paid positions. To qualify as an election judge, you must be 16 years old or older, a registered voter in the State of Maryland, and able to speak, read, and write English.

Not Eligible to Vote? 

There are still many ways to make an impact.

• Staying informed
• Talking about the issues you care about
• Sharing information with your family and friends
• Organizing in your communities
• Creating art, writing, and media 
• Helping others directly
• Encouraging others to vote  

You can visit the Center for Democracy and Civic Life’s website for more opportunities to learn, engage, and participate in building democracy. You can also contact us at civiclife@umbc.edu or Trentqual Rhone, Coordinator for Political Engagement, at trhone1@umbc.edu, for more information about registration, deadlines, or if you have other questions about participating in the 2026 election.

These financial webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff, regardless of your retirement plan or vendor.

Register for TIAA’s live webinars to get financial information, news and tips from their experts. 

Reserve your spot by clicking the registration links below. These webinars are a part of your retirement plan benefits.

Wednesday, June 10, 12am to 1pm: Set your retirement date: Understand your factors to get you to your goal

For anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through steps to deciding when the time is right, including estimating retirement expenses, closing any income gap and understanding key milestones that can impact your retirement finances. 

They will discuss how employees can:

• Create their vision
• Understand what’s ahead
• Estimate expenses and income
• Make their plan

Register for the 6/10 webinar

Thursday, June 25, 11am to 12pm: Identity theft: Safeguarding your finances

Identity theft is a danger for each and every one of us—almost on a daily basis. Whether it’s an email or text that sounds enticing, a suspicious phone call or a social media post with an urgent request from a supposed “friend,” someone may be trying to steal your identity for financial gain.

In this webinar, TIAA will provide insights on:

• Understanding the threats
• Knowing how it can happen
• Securing your information
• Looking out for others
• Acting quickly if you’re a victim

Register for the 6/25 webinar

Questions? Reach out to hrbenefits@umbc.edu

Marc Seigar, Ph.D., has been appointed the next dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), effective August 3, 2026. Seigar joins UMBC from the University of Toledo where he serves as the dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Seigar brings a strong background in academic leadership to his new role at UMBC. Prior to his leadership at the University of Toledo, he served as a rotating program director in the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the National Science Foundation and as an associate dean in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota Duluth. His administrative work has focused on developing programs that attract new students, grow research, and promote engagement and academic success through student-centered systems. 

Seigar earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the Liverpool Astrophysics Research Institute and his bachelor of science in physics from Imperial College London. He began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

An accomplished scholar, Seigar has published more than 100 articles on galaxy structure and dynamics, supermassive black holes, and dark matter distribution in galaxies. His articles are widely cited. Seigar is the author of two books. His work has been supported by federal funding agencies including NASA and NSF, as well as private foundations.

Seigar is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and an associate of the Royal College of Science. He is also a member of the American Astronomical Society and the Sigma Xi honors society. He has served in editorial roles for journals in his field and currently serves on the editorial board of the Effective Practices for Physics Programs project, a project that is led by the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Seigar succeeds William LaCourse, Ph.D., as dean of CNMS. LaCourse, who will return to the faculty following a research leave, served as CNMS dean for 15 years.

Dear colleagues,

I am excited to announce the appointment of Marc Seigar as the next dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. Marc comes to us from the University of Toledo where he currently serves as the dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. He will join UMBC on August 3, 2026.

Marc is a proven leader and scholar that will build on the strong foundation laid by Bill LaCourse during his 15-year tenure as dean of CNMS. Bill will be returning to the faculty following a research leave. I want to personally thank Bill who has been a valuable member of the academic leadership team. I also want to thank Jeanne van Briesen and the search committee who put in countless hours throughout the process. Thank you for your time and dedication.

Marc brings a strong background in academic leadership to his new role. Prior to his leadership at the University of Toledo, he served as a rotating program director in the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the National Science Foundation and as an associate dean in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota Duluth. His administrative work has focused on developing programs that attract new students, grow research, and promote engagement and academic success through student-centered systems. 

Marc earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the Liverpool Astrophysics Research Institute and his bachelor of science in physics from Imperial College London. He began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

An accomplished scholar, Marc has published more than 100 articles on galaxy structure and dynamics, supermassive black holes, and dark matter distribution in galaxies. His articles are widely cited. Marc is the author of two books. His work has been supported by federal funding agencies including NASA and NSF, as well as private foundations.

Marc is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and an associate of the Royal College of Science. He is also a member of the American Astronomical Society and the Sigma Xi honors society. He has served in editorial roles for journals in his field and currently serves on the editorial board of the Effective Practices for Physics Programs project, a project that is led by the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Please join me in welcoming Marc to the UMBC family. 

Sincerely,

Manfred H.M. van Dulmen
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

The Center for Democracy and Civic Life and the Division of Institutional Equity are seeking feedback on  UMBC’s Draft Framework for Inclusive Excellence.

Over the past semester, members of the UMBC community have participated in UMBC Talks forums to share experiences, perspectives, and ideas that can help shape the university’s approach to inclusive excellence.

If you were unable to attend one of these sessions, you are encouraged to review the draft framework and provide your input.

Your feedback can help inform how UMBC advances equity, belonging, access, and community engagement across campus.

📄 Review the Draft Framework for Inclusive Excellence
📝 Submit Feedback via the Online Form
📅 Feedback Deadline: Friday, June 5

Graduate students are encouraged to participate and share their perspectives to help ensure that the experiences and needs of graduate learners are reflected in future planning and implementation efforts.

Thank you for taking the time to contribute to this important campus conversation. Your voice matters.

Warm Regards,
Aminah

Yesterday, the Online Learning Consortium published its June 2026 issue of the Online Learning Journal, featuring a special focus on Higher Education in an AI-Transformed World. The issue includes a collaborative and reflective UMBC case study examining how artificial intelligence can be used to personalize, scale, and encourage student practice and reflection.

In the article, "Asked & Answered: Using AI to Nudge Student Metacognition and Responsibility for Learning," four UMBC faculty and three DoIT Instructional Technology staff analyze four courses that vary widely in discipline, size, and technology. Despite their differences, each course shares a common pedagogical goal: cultivating students' willingness and ability to assess what they truly know, understand and can do through formative practice.

The UMBC co-authors include:

• John Fritz, Associate Vice President for Instructional Technology (DoIT)
• Josh Abrams, Instructional Technology Design Specialist (DoIT)
• Sarah Bass, Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Suzanne Braunschweig, Teaching Professor, Geography and Environmental Systems
• Tara Carpenter, Teaching Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Nancy McAllister, Assistant Teaching Professor, Interdisciplinary Science Program
• Tom Penniston, Coordinator of Learning Analytics (DoIT)

The publication highlights how different environments can and do leverage AI to create a virtual "Holodeck" for reflective practice — providing a personalized ecosystem where students can actively close the gap between what they think they know and what they actually understand. 

Featured use cases in the study include:

• CHEM 101 & 102: UMBC’s largest courses (serving over 800 students annually) use AI to provide a "24/7 prof" and formative environment rooted in "spaced practice" to counter traditional exam cramming.

• SCI 100: A lab science course for non-STEM majors (serving 600 students annually) explores using AI to streamline and curate student-crowdsourced study guides.

• UNIV 102: A smaller course supporting students on academic probation uses AI to inform a team-based, extra-credit practice environment for weekly quizzes, assisting at-risk students in building effective study groups.

Ultimately, the article explores how institutions can use emerging AI tools not as passive lecture supplements, but as interactive spaces that nudge students' self-regulated learning through reflective practice.

To learn more about the findings and specific course frameworks, read the full, open-access article in the Online Learning Journal.

~ John Fritz

The Exempt Staff Senate (ESS) Mentoring Program is in NEED of more mentors for the FY27 cycle.  If you are were on the fence about signing up before the initial deadline expired here is your second chance to apply!  Also, if you know of an exempt employee who would make a good mentor, please share this information with them.

All exempt staff members (typically at UMBC for 3 years or longer) are encouraged to apply to be mentors! Contact Jess Wyatt (jwy@umbc.edu) or Steve Harris (stevenh1@umbc.edu) directly with questions.

Apply here! - ESS Mentoring Program Application

Traffic around the arena will be very heavy beginning at 7:30am on 6/3/2026 and throughout the day to accommodate three high school graduations. Graduation start times are 9am, 1:30pm and 6pm. Faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to avoid entering campus from I-195, as parking on the east side of campus will be difficult to access. Please plan to park in any available legal permit space across campus. Parking Services will be enforcing parking regulations for safety concerns only. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to manage increased traffic and event activity

John Fritz and six UMBC colleagues are authors on a new paper in the Online Learning Journal’s special issue on Higher Education in an AI-Transformed World. Their paper, "Asked & Answered: Using AI to Nudge Student Metacognition and Responsibility for Learning," examines how UMBC is exploring the use of AI to personalize, scale, and nudge students toward becoming more self-regulated learners. Specifically, four UMBC courses, varying in discipline, size, and use of technology, collectively share a common pedagogical goal of cultivating students’ willingness and ability to learn how to learn through AI-assisted formative practice.  

Read their paper here