HIGH HOLIDAY INFORMATION
As we kick off a great semester, we want to remind everyone that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are right around the corner. Due to the timing of the holidays over the weekend, the only program we will be holding on campus is our Yom Kippur break-fast. If you are not going home, we can get you tickets and help with transportation for high holiday services as well as connect you with local meals. If you plan to come to our break-fast and/or need local services or meals, please sign up here.

If you anticipate needing academic accommodations for the high holidays, please fill out the  ECR Religious Accommodation Request Form and submit it to your professors ASAP. If you run into any issues, please reach out to Aliza Greenberg at agreenberg@umbc.edu.

Once a sponsor has issued an award notice, a Principal Investigator has wide leeway to make the decisions that make their projects run—after all, the sponsor has thoroughly reviewed their intended strategies and methods  and approved them, based on the project team’s qualifications and credentials. But what happens if something emerges that causes the program to want to veer off that sponsor-approved track? If a PI wants to make significant changes to the scope of work, key personnel effort, or the project budget, the sponsor’s prior approval may be required.

Prior Approval is a sponsor’s express, written consent to a change in the approved project that must be obtained before that change is enacted. While a PI is encouraged to have discussions about such changes with the sponsor’s technical point of contact in advance of making a Prior Approval Request, official requests must be made by a UMBC Authorized Organizational Representative (that is, your Grants and Contracts Manager) to the sponsor’s administrative contact.

Take a look at a few common reasons you might need to consider a Prior Approval Request. You can find a comprehensive list of Prior Approval requirements by using a sponsor’s Prior Approval Matrix – here are the matrices for the NSF and NIH. For the NASA prior approval matrix, navigate to page 48 of this document. Keep in mind that while the following may apply to grants and cooperative agreements, other award instruments (like contracts, other transaction authorities, etc) may not.

If ever these situations arise in one of your projects, contact your Grants and Contracts Manager as far in advance as you can with the requested change, a strong justification for the change, and any relevant revised documents, like a budget and scope of work. Please remember that prior approval requests take time—a departmental administrator needs time to collect justifications and revise budgets; your OSP Manager needs time to evaluate the request and ask for revisions; and ultimately, the sponsor may take up to several weeks to consider and evaluate your request--for example, NASA requires that requests for second NCEs be submitted no later than 45 days in advance!

CNMS Advising is hosting a drop-in open house tomorrow (Wednesday, August 26th, 12-4pm) for The Learning Collaboratory (TLC), a multipurpose space in the University Center (room 115) that is used for everything from study halls to workshops. Mx. Melissa Huselton from The PreMedical & PreDental Advising Office will be there 12-3pm to answer last-minute, general pre-health questions, and pre-health students from any major are welcome to attend. Stop by and say hello! Access the original post to sign up for the event.

Worried about your science courses? Looking for study buddies, a quiet place to work, or extra practice problems? Not sure how to handle a flipped classroom or spaced learning?
Or better yet, want to know how to get involved in your major? How to find STEM research or internship opportunities? We have you covered!

The Learning Collaboratory (TLC) is your one-stop shop for everything you need to be successful as a science major at UMBC! Every week, CNMS will be hosting study hall, workshops, guest speakers, extra practice problems, exam study guides, study groups, and more in the TLC space and we can't wait to see you throughout this semester! 

To kick things off -- and as part of Welcome Week -- we are opening up the TLC (UC 115) from 12PM-4PM this WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26th for you to drop in and check things out! Consider stopping by in between your classes and seeing how we can help you this semester.

As an extra bonus, CNMS support staff will be there with SNACKS, a PRIZE WHEEL, GAMES, MUSIC, and CNMS swag! We will also have a "Scientist in Training" themed photo booth so be ready to capture all of the excitement and silliness of being a scientist! Think -- lab coats, test tubes, pipettes, science puns, and so, so much more. 

The more events you attend in The Learning Collaboratory this semester, the more entries you earn for a prize pack raffle! Start earning your entries now and kick the semester off right!

Finally, make sure that you are following @cnmsadvising for updates for all things STEM Success! Let's GOOO RETRIEVERS!!!!

Hello everyone!

Unfortunately, Retriever Essentials will be closed at 2:00pm tomorrow (8/26/2026). If you are in dire need of food or other items, the police station mini-pantry will be completely stocked.

Please plan your trip accordingly, and we apologize for any inconviences.

To all chip users,

This is a reminder that on Tuesday August 25th, the chip cluster will be inaccessible from 0830ET - 1800ET for storage optimization and module system updates.

Please refer to the original announcement for more details: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/hpcf/posts/161520 

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

Max Breitmeyer,

HPC Specialist

Hello and welcome (or welcome back)!

The new semester is here! To kick off our new year together, the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism is hosting our Welcome Back event on Wednesday August 26th from 12pm-1:30pm, Room 103 in The Center for Well-Being (note: this is a shift from the earlier posted time). Come enjoy some pizza, engage in our space with your friends, or meet some new people as we center community!

Here is the myUMBC Link. We wish you all success, wellness, and peace as you move through the year. The Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism is a campus resource that we hope you all will utilize throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.  

This year we have the following open hours:

Monday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Tuesday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Thursday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Friday: 10 AM - 8 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 11 AM - 9 PM

AIChE is exicited to share our Fall 2026 GBM schedule! 

Used for less than 1 year. Still in good condition.
Material: Memory foam
Location: Halethorpe, 21227

Mattress for $150 (was 190)
Bed frame for $35
Both $170 (mattress+frame)

DM for more info or email kturang1@umbc.edu

Dear New and Returning Erickson School Students,

My name is Nancy Kusmaul, and I serve as the Interim Dean for the Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC. This is my 13th year at UMBC and my first with the Erickson School. I am looking forward to getting to know each of you this year.

I wanted to welcome those of you who are new to UMBC and welcome back to all of our returning students! Erickson's faculty and staff are excited about the new academic year. Please join us for a welcome-back open house and pizza party on Tuesday, September 1, from 12–2 p.m. at the Erickson School, 5523 Research Park Drive, Suite 230. RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekp6B8ZaR8OVBEb-Et9zS0ySBJM1g_klFJ6LL6fS-_dJ-aCg/viewform?usp=header Come, meet our faculty, and share what you are most excited about this academic year. We are looking forward to seeing you all!

We wanted to share a few resources for students who may need support. Check out these links for more information. Faculty and advisors are always available if you have questions about your classes and degree plans.

The Erickson School offers several scholarships. Watch Scholarship Retriever for deadlines and dates. While these options may help you pay for your education, we recognize that these options do not offer immediate support.

If you need more immediate financial support, please contact the Financial Aid Office or apply for the Stay Black and Gold Emergency Fund or the Sprint to the End award for students in their last semester. There are food, supplies, and other resources for students at UMBC's Retriever Essentials.

For a detailed list of academic resources and student support, see: Student Resources – Academic Success Center.

Have a wonderful semester!

Sincerely,
Dr. Kusmaul

Check out all the College and COEIT Departmental Events here!