DOIE September 2026 Highlights

This September, the Division of Institutional Equity has a full lineup of events and opportunities for the UMBC community. All events and opportunities across the division are open to full participation by all community members. Here’s how you can get involved!

September 2 | 11:00 am - 2:00 pm | Math/Psychology: 222
Office of Disability Access & Resources: Fall 2026 Open House

Join the Office of Disability Access and Resources for its Fall 2026 Open House to learn more about the people, programs, and resources that support accessibility and disability inclusion at UMBC. Meet the DAAR team, discover resources for students and employees, ask questions about accommodations and accessibility, and enjoy a scavenger hunt, free snacks, and swag.

September 2 | 12:00 pm | Math/Psychology: 222

Accessibility Tour: Wayfinding, Skywalks, and Resources

Join the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services for a guided tour of UMBC’s “Campus on a Hill”. Accessibility is everyone’s responsibility, and this is a great opportunity to learn about campus accessibility features, challenges, and how you can be an effective Accessibility Ally! 

September 3 | 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Library and Gallery: Albin O. Kuhn 

The Woman of Color Reception

Join the Women’s, Gender, & Equity Center for its annual Woman of Color Reception, in coordination with the Women of Color Collective and Women and Gender Minorities in STEM discussion groups. This gathering offers an opportunity for students, staff, and faculty to connect, network, and hear from a panel of successful Women of Color about their educational and professional journeys. Light refreshments will be provided.

September 22 | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm | University Center: 312

Your Story Belongs Here (Faculty/Staff Edition) 

Join us for Your Story Belongs Here!, a storytelling experience featuring short videos from UMBC faculty and staff sharing real moments of doubt, discovery, and belonging. Participants will reflect on their own experiences, engage in guided small-group dialogue, and connect with colleagues across campus while building community. Limited seats are available, so be sure to register in advance.

September 24 | 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm | Fine Arts: 118 

Culture Builders Keynote: Building Beloved Community

Join the Office of Community and Culture for a special keynote conversation exploring beloved community, revolutionary love, and the work of cultivating more connected, inclusive, and humane campus communities. This campus-wide event invites students, staff, and faculty to reflect on how we care for one another across differences and imagine new possibilities for belonging and collective flourishing at UMBC.

September 29 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am | The Commons: 318

The 80/20 Principle: Restorative Practices knowledge, capacity, and community building : Building Before Breaking: RP Foundation

This fall, DOIE invites the UMBC community to deepen their restorative practices skills and strengthen community connection through two complementary series of The 80/20 Principle workshops. The first, Building Before Breaking: RP Foundations, offers interactive learning on the foundations of restorative practices, featuring a guest speaker from UMD.

September 30 | 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Retriever Activity Center: 106

Circles for Beloved Community: UMBC Then and Now

Circles for Beloved Community series creates space for participants to share openly, build trust, and reflect. This session invites the community to explore shared experiences and imagine what belonging and community can look like at UMBC.

Discussion Group Meetings

Join the Women’s, Gender, and Equity Center this month for weekly discussion group meetings! Connect, share, and grow through spaces such as Grad Connect, We Believe You, Rebuilding Manhood, Spectrum, Women of Color Collective, Women and Gender Minorities in STEM, Returning Adult Learners, Athletics Group, Between Femmes, and Head Space. Visit https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/events?mode=upcoming&page=1 for more information and schedules for each group.

Student Mandatory Annual Online Training

In August, students received an email from “Vector Solutions” with instructions on how to access and complete mandatory annual online training from UMBC’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights. All students must complete the online training by the deadline of September 16, 2026, to ensure enrollment eligibility for future terms. Please note that students who have been personally affected by sexual or interpersonal violence and are concerned they may not be able to complete the training in this format can request an exemption from the training. Students who submitted a training exemption request form to ECR in Fall 2024 or 2025 do not need to submit the form again. Additional information about the training can be found on the ECR website. Please send any questions about the training to ecrtraining@umbc.edu.

Annual Mandatory Training for Employees

Please stay tuned for instructions to complete this year's annual mandatory employee Title IX training. Instructions will be posted to ECR's website soon.