• Graduate Commencement: Wednesday, December 19, 10 a.m.
• Undergraduate Commencement: Thursday, December 20, 10 a.m.

RFP Learning Model Development for Cohort-Based Early Childhood Leadership

The Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Program (MECLP), in partnership with UMBC’s Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities, seeks a highly qualified and experienced consultant (or consulting firm) to develop an innovative learning model, content and training materials for a cohort-based leadership development program in early childhood education.

The research-based learning model will incorporate best practices in key leadership competencies and reflect break-through thinking in education design.  The program will be delivered through a cohort design of approximately 12-14 people comprised of early and mid-career individuals with a broad range of backgrounds (e.g., roles, geography, race, ethnicity, gender); in early childhood and related fields.  The 12-month hybrid model will include face-to-face sessions as well as online modules.  The model will be project-based and is expected to include coach/mentoring support, select readings and homework, as well as opportunities for field trips and guest presentations.  An August or October 2019 start date is expected for the initial pilot cohort.

To express interest, please send application, including cost estimate, to Laurel Bassett at lburgg1@umbc.edu by January 8, 2019.  Please direct any questions about MECLP or this RFP to MECLP director, Louise Corwin, at lcorwin@umbc.edu.  For further information about MECLP, visit the Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Program website at https://shermancenter.umbc.edu.

This is a work of satire.

In a blazing new approach to the pursuit of protecting the environment, UMBC has decided to shut off all of its lights after 5 p.m. in order to remove all traces of light pollution. Not only will this save money and help the environment, but it also provides an abundance of opportunities to students as well.

A light-free campus will allow the student populace to wander about blindly, discovering new holes, ditches and other pieces of nature they can stumble over. It would be a shame for students to miss out on all the ankle-twisting and bone-shattering imperfections that UMBC’s ground has to offer.

This also offers opportunities for those with gripes about UMBC being a “boring” campus. With absolutely no lights at night, UMBC will provide a sensation similar to the part of the roller coaster where you’re almost at the top of the largest drop. What better way to recapture the feelings of irrevocable regret and terror?

Some people have questions about this plan. “Why not have no lights during the day?” one inquisitive student asked. They were not alone — in fact, a large percentage of the student population said they would rather see the stars during the daytime instead of the night. Nighttime, however, is a much better time to go wandering about campus. People are too busy avoiding the scorching hot winter sun by being indoors or rushing between classes to really appreciate the stars, anyway.

To be frank, some students are skeptical of this plan. “Stargazing?” one perplexed student asked. “Who has time to stargaze? I’ll be much too busy staring at the dark campus ground, trying not to break my neck. Because who has time for the hospital?”

Other students, too, have made comments about the potential for injury. “Erickson field is uneven enough as is. I’ve already hurt my ankle twice, now,” said one student whose ankles who have the structural integrity of tinsel.

“I don’t know if I will be able to walk again, and so a campus without lights will be perfect.” He proceeded to explain how convenient it would be to crawl around, out of sight from everyone. “I won’t feel pressure to use my pathetic ankles and can drag myself around instead, judgement free.” A campus without lights will provide absolutely no ability for one to see another in passing. When asked if he was afraid of being tripped over, the student laughed. “Let them trip,” he said. “Then they can hurt their ankles, too.”

Overall, the whole of UMBC’s campus is very pleased with the no-light policy. “The stars are so beautiful,” said one individual. “It’s not like the lamps are serving any real, practical or important use. This offers a lovely alternative.”

Since time immemorial, UMBC students have lamented the atmosphere on campus during the weekend. The list of complaints ranges from a dearth of options for dining to the number and quality of events offered at the end of the week. Now, one of the complaints has been addressed with the addition of late night on the weekends in the dining hall.

As of this semester, weekend late night is a permanent fixture in the dining hall, and students have been responding well to the change and stopping by True Grit’s for their middle-of-the-night dining. The popularity of late night has led to the increased use of the OZZI reusable containers, increasing the campus’ efficiency as well.

Last school year, weekend late night dining was offered one weekend a month for the fall and spring semesters, and students took advantage of the sparse opportunities to obtain sustenance. Prior to the introduction of late night, students were able to get food until 1 a.m. in the Commons — at 2.Mato in the fall of 2017 and Salsarita’s in the spring of 2018.

Having only one option for a place to buy a meal after 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays was part of an environment that left students extremely dissatisfied. This same environment encouraged students to stay other places for the weekend, whether that meant going to stay with friends on other college campuses or going home for the weekend.

With the advent of permanent weekend late night, UMBC is taking a step in the right direction as far as improving the conditions on the weekend. It may not seem significant, but students who were tired of eating 2.Mato’s pizza every weekend once they returned from attending parties now have another option for where to eat.

Kara Gavin, a junior English major, said, “It’s really convenient for students. Before if you didn’t get to d-hall before 7:30 on the weekend you only had one option, but now there’s more choice and people seem to really like the late night food.”

While students are certainly not knocking the option for late night food, their desires have only been partially addressed. The present options now leave two places open for students to eat on the weekends, but more variety would still be appreciated.

In addition, with 2.Mato closing at 1 a.m. this semester and late night closing at 2 a.m., the only option for a place to get food on campus is Outtakes, which closes between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. The loss of 23.5 hour availability of food from Outtakes does leave students with a longer gap in time for sources of food, so something to address that would also be appreciated.

The addition of late night on the weekends is only one small step in the right direction for UMBC to become a more inviting place for students to spend their weekend. When so many students who live on campus have homes within convenient driving distance, the incentives to stay will have to keep getting better.