UMBC’s Snow Storm of 2009

Check out one staff member’s pictorial blog post about the blizzard that hit Maryland this weekend. He captured some great photos of UMBC!

MCC Video: Anne Scholl-Fiedler

Watch as Anne Scholl-Fiedler, director of the Career Services Center, discusses why she gives to the Maryland Charity Campaign and the causes she supports.

Green Buildings and LEED Certifications (10/20)

Join representatives from Whiting-Turner, Leach Wallace Associates, Inc. and United States Green Building Council for a panel discussion on green buildings and LEED certifications.

The panel will be Tuesday, October 20, 6 p.m., in the University Center, Room 312.

For more information, contact Alison Jones at ajones9@umbc.edu.

Provost’s Luncheon (10/9)

New and junior faculty: are you trying to begin or maintain a research program? The staff at the Office of Sponsored Programs is ready to help. Join us Friday, October 9, noon-1:30 p.m., in The Commons, Room 331, for the second Provost’s Luncheon of the year and a presentation on the services available to support faculty research and the development of a successful research program. RSVP to Sue Hahn at hahn@umbc.edu or call ext. 5-3916 by Monday, October 5. 

This event is sponsored by the Faculty Development Center and the Provost’s Office.

Vikki Valentine ‘96, English, Wins National Award for Work at NPR

Vikki Valentine ‘96, English, was one of the team of National Public Radio (NPR) editors to win a 2009 National Academies of Science Award for excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering and medicine.

Valentine (digital science editor), Alison Richards (deputy science editor) and Anne Gudenkauf (science editor) from NPR’s News’ Climate Connections, were honored for a year-long multimedia journey to explain the impacts of global climate change with well-reported stories from around the world.

Valentine is the supervising science editor for NPR Digital News. She joined NPR in 2001, bringing multimedia storytelling to the science desk. She earned her master’s degree from the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College in London. Prior to NPR, she worked as a science news editor at Discovery and as a features editor at the Baltimore Sun. Her reporting has also appeared in The New York Times and in several documentaries for the Smithsonian channel.

Retriever Wellness Expo (10/9)

Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Retriever Wellness Expo.  Sponsored by University Health Services, the expo will take place on Friday, October 9, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at The Commons Main Street. Stop by to receive your free massage and acupuncture treatment.

Other highlights include blood pressure screenings, insurance info, stress management, free flu kits and much more. Chartwells Dining Services and staff from the RAC will also be in attendance to discuss nutrition and fitness. For more information, contact arohrbach@umbc.edu

Free Webinar on Virtual Agility Wednesday (10/7)

Do you know people who:

* get upset with their computers?
* avoid personal conversations or confrontation by sending e-mails?
* spend more time reading e-mail than actually responding?

The struggle to survive virtually has replaced the ability to thrive. Join Camille Preston of AIM Leadership for a free 30-minute webinar on improving Virtual Communication through Agility.

You will learn:

* The 4 components of virtual agility
* The 10 keys to virtual collaboration
* How to recognize and solve challenges creatively – before they
become problems
* When to pro-actively address virtual challenges
* And much more

This is seminar is for:

* managers and leaders wanting to accomplish a greater level
* teammates valuing ways to collaborate even more effectively
* individuals seeking to be more agile amid a virtual world

The workshop will be Wednesday, October 7, noon-12:30 p.m., EDT. Space is limited. “>Reserve your webinar seat now here.

After registering you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the webinar.

Support for Faculty and Staff in Challenging Times

In an effort to assist employees during these economic times, the Department of Human Resources has updated their online resources and professional development opportunities for the Fall semester. To view the list of online resources available, visit the HR Homepage and click the UMBC Salary Reduction Plan link. To view current professional development opportunities visit the _T&OD Web site_ and click on ‘Current Programs.’

H1N1 VIRUS UPDATE AND ON-LINE REPORTING PROCESS:

The Departments of Human Resources and Information Technology created an online process for employees to report flu-like symptoms. Data collected will provide information needed to make decisions related to building or campus closures.

The online process can be accessed at any time here or by logging in to your myUMBC account (listed under “Profiles”). Step-by-step instructions for making on-line updates are available here.

Click here for more information about H1N1 can be found at  or contact University Health Services at ext. 5-2542.

Practices for Cultivating Healthy Relationships

October’s new relationship practice is “Notice where the ‘chi’ is moving.”

What a Difference an Hour Can Make…

We are excited to announce that Skillsoft has adopted a new, one-hour course model and expects to release over 40 new one-hour business skills courses between August 2009 and January 2010.

The next set of new one-hour courses is now available:

Using E-mail and Instant Messaging Effectively: comm_17_a01_bs_enus
Addressing and Redistributing E-mail: comm_17_a02_bs_enus
Managing Your E-mail: comm_17_a03_bs_enus
Essential Skills for Professional Telephone Calls: comm_18_a01_bs_enus
Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Your Purpose: comm_19_a01_bs_enus
Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely: comm_19_a02_bs_enus
Maximizing Productivity as a Remote Employee: pd_08_a01_bs_enus
Communication Strategies for the Remote Employee: pd_08_a02_bs_enus
Creating Your Own Leadership Development Plan: lead_05_a08_bs_enus
Leading Teams: Launching a Successful Team: team_03_a01_bs_enus
Leading Teams: Developing the Team and its Culture: team_03_a03_bs_enus
Being an Effective Team Member: team_02_a01_bs_enus
Establishing Team Goals and Responsibilities: team_02_a02_bs_enus
Elements of a Cohesive Team: team_02_a03_bs_enus
Effective Team Communication: team_02_a04_bs_enus
Using Feedback to Improve Team Performance: team_02_a05_bs_enus

SkillSoft offers over 2,400 courses in three major skill categories: desktop, technical and business. For more information, a demo, FAQs and a Quick Start Guide click here.