Return to Campus for RCA Activities

Updated August 25, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Over the year and a half that have passed since March 2020, each one of our faculty and staff members has been making significant sacrifices to aid our students and our colleagues through what has become a highly unusual period with many new and unknown challenges for all of us.  Our Number One priority has been to establish and update processes and procedures to assure that everyone remains safe and secure while pursuing critical Research & Creative Achievement (RCA) activities.

While we are still in the process of recovering from the challenges, hardships, and adjustments in our personal and professional lives that all of us have been experiencing.  We appreciate your commitment to help us stop the spread of this virus.  Please continue take advantage of the rapidly growing availability of vaccines across Maryland and beyond and report your vaccination ASAP.  My personal thanks to all of you for your remarkable efforts during this challenging period.

In consultation with the Provost, the Deans of our Colleges, the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, and UMBC’s Research Access Exception (RAET) Task Force, we established and monitored processes for our RCA activities to ensure a safe environment for our faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate & undergraduate students who require access to studios, laboratories, and critical research equipment on campus.

Based on our assessment of the situation in Maryland and on our Campus, we have reached the decision to allow access for all UMBC faculty and staff back to campus, effective July 6, 2021. Certain safety requirements remain in force, and are subject to change on short notice, as the situation may require.

We are pleased to see the progress made in vaccinations and the related decline in infections across Maryland and across our Nation. However, we must remain vigilant, especially during this time of transition to a more normal status.

Please review the COVID-19 Process for Research and Creative Achievement (RCA) at UMBC. This site includes current information on domestic and international travel guidance.

In addition, please consult the UMBC COVID-19 page for a complete set of guidance documents

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Effective July 6, 2021 all Faculty and Staff have been approved to access Campus

Community members who are fully vaccinated and whose vaccine has been reported and verified will no longer be required to test or symptom track. If you do become symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19, we ask that you continue to complete the Case Report Form.

Unvaccinated individuals, individuals granted exemptions, and individuals who have not reported their vaccination will be provided specific instructions on the health and safety measures they must complete when they return to campus. This will include regular testing and symptom tracking. We are also still in negotiations on health and safety measures for represented employees.

All members of the UMBC community are expected to follow the Fall 2021 Return-to-Campus process in place to visit the UMBC campus.  Phase 3 of this process became effective on August 9, 2021.

The original On-Campus RCA Activities Request that was required for On-Campus access to resume your research or creative achievement activities is no longer required and has be retired. We very much appreciate the compliance of the entire RCA community in using these RCA access forms that helped us manage your access in a safe but productive manner.

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Reporting Vaccination

Please report your vaccination ASAP.  It only takes about 30 seconds to complete the consent form to share your information with the University. Once you have reported, your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile will be updated, though this process may take up to two weeks.

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COVID Compliance Card in myUMBC
  • Your current access status, testing and symptom monitoring compliance results are posted to your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile. Please note that it may take up to 72 hours for your results to be posted.
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On-Campus Research Involving Human Subjects
  • The earlier ban regarding on-campus research involving human subjects has been relaxed.  Researchers conducting Human Subjects Research on campus must wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, unless they are alone in their workspace.  Researchers and research participants shall follow the current on-campus density requirement, but researchers should practice physical distancing whenever possible.  Prior to each visit, Human Subjects Research participants shall respond to a questionnaire (click to download sample questionnaire) and submit to a non-contact temperature scan.  Human Subjects Research participants must wear masks during research appointments.
    • All submitted questionnaires shall be stored by the study group for at least 30 days and shall be destroyed after no more than 90 days.
  • Research with Vulnerable and High-Risk Populations – This group includes children under 12 years of age, unvaccinated individuals, immunocompromised individuals, or anyone at an increased risk of COVID-19 infection – as outlined by CDC guidance.  In addition to the stated mask and physical distancing guidance, face shields must be worn when interacting with high-risk or vulnerable populations on campus for research purposes.
  • Masks must be worn by all participants in these research activities – both researchers and research participants – and physical distancing shall be practiced during either on- or off-campus in-person Human Subject Research activities whenever possible.  We ask that you continue to exercise best and safe practices as we move forward into the fall semester.
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Community-based Research

  • The earlier ban on research in community settings has been relaxed, and off-campus community-based research has been allowed to resume.  However, researchers must follow all guidelines set by the collaborating entity (e.g., nursing home, school, community center, etc.).  A letter from the collaborating entity is required in advance, stating that UMBC researchers are permitted to conduct studies in their facilities, if applicable.

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Campus Visitors
  • One-time visitors to our campus who will attend in-person events or activities must comply with the following safety requirements:
    1. You must have a UMBC faculty or staff sponsor who will be responsible for seeking access approval, coordinating your visit, and accompanying you while on campus. Your sponsor must limit your access to campus to the location of your in-person event.
    2. Inform your sponsor if your visit falls within 10 days of any positive test and do not come to campus or if you have symptoms.
    3. Face coverings or masks are required to be worn in buildings. Masks are not required outdoors unless you are participating in an activity or event that requires them.
  • Off-campus partners who need to visit campus to conduct essential university business should work with their on-campus sponsor/partner to complete this form.
  • Please see further instructions on the official Visiting Campus web page.
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UMBC has approved Procedures to assure Business Continuity

Just as faculty and student are demonstrating their creativity and adaptability to ensure that classroom instruction is able to continue in an online format, we encourage graduate students and their thesis/dissertation committees to develop alternate ways to fulfill requirements if graduate student research and creative achievements are disrupted by not having access to research facilities and studios. The Graduate School is available to consult on these questions.

In lieu of On-Campus Research or Creative Activities that cannot be conducted at this time, alternative activities could include proposal development; preparing prior results for publication; reading research articles; contacting prospective collaborators and sponsors; and studying new research tools and skills. During this time, OSP continues to be ready to work with you on proposal development and submission and assist with communications with current and prospective sponsoring agencies.

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Prior Stage 4 On-Campus RCA Mode – June 1, 2021 to July 5, 2021
  • Under Stage 4 On-Campus RCA Mode we require a minimum of 50 sq.ft. per individual in any laboratory or studio on campus – a reduction from the prior density of 150 sq.ft. per person under Stage 3 RCA Mode.  Please include those updated space considerations in your On-Campus RCA Activities Request.
  • Any currently active approvals for On-Campus RCA activities will remain in effect through at least July 6, 2021, albeit subject to changing regulations issued by the State of Maryland, USM, or UMBC.
  • Under Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode, resuming in-person, on-campus interactions for research purposes is currently not permitted. Please continue to monitor this web page for news and updates.
  • All individuals authorized for On-Campus RCA access under Stage 2 or Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode are subject to mandatory COVID-19 Training, Testing, and On-line Symptom Tracking as outlined here.
Prior Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode – March 29, 2021 to May 31, 2021
  • Under Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode we require a minimum of 150 sq.ft. per individual in any laboratory or studio on campus – a reduction from the prior density of 235 sq.ft. per person under Stage 2 RCA Mode.  Please include those updated space considerations in your On-Campus RCA Activities Request.
  • Any currently active approvals for On-Campus RCA activities will remain in effect through at least July 6, 2021, albeit subject to changing regulations issued by the State of Maryland, USM, or UMBC.
  • Under Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode, resuming in-person, on-campus interactions for research purposes is currently not permitted. Please continue to monitor this web page for news and updates.
  • All individuals authorized for On-Campus RCA access under Stage 2 or Stage 3 On-Campus RCA Mode are subject to mandatory COVID-19 Training, Testing, and On-line Symptom Tracking as outlined here.
Prior Stage 2 On-Campus CA Mode – September 1, 2020 to March 28, 2021
  • Under Stage 2 RCA Mode we are requiring a minimum of 235 sq.ft. per individual in any laboratory or studio on campus. Please include those space considerations in your On-Campus RCA Activities Request.
  • Any currently active approvals for On-Campus RCA activities will remain in effect through at least May 31, 2021, albeit subject to changing regulations issued by the State of Maryland, USM, or UMBC.
  • Under Stage 2 RCA Mode team leaders of RCA activities are invited, in coordination with their Department Chairs or Supervisors, to submit the On-Campus RCA Activities Request via DocuSign to request access to On-Campus labs or studios for RCA activities. RCA team leaders need to submit a detailed plan outlining the health and safety processes proposed for RCA team members to relaunch or expand their RCA activities.
    • Any faculty with previously approved RCA projects under Stage 1 RCA Mode who are requiring a higher lab density are requested to describe their revised plans by submitting an updated On-Campus RCA Activities Request.
    • Any RCA projects previously approved under Stage 1 with no changes in protocols or laboratory density continue to be approved for the Spring semester and do not require a new submission under Stage 2 RCA Mode.
    • All individuals authorized for On-Campus RCA access under Stage 1 or Stage 2 RCA Mode are subject to mandatory COVID-19 Training, Testing, and On-line Symptom Tracking as outlined below.
    • If you have not been previously approved for On-Campus RCA Access, please coordinate with your Department Chair or Supervisor on the On-Campus RCA Activities Request.
    • Please note that this Directive is subject to changes at any time.  We will be in communication by email and will post updates on this website.
Prior Stage 1 On-Campus RCA Mode – June 15, 2020 to August 31, 2020
  1. All in-person meetings continue to be held via teleconferencing or videoconferencing methods.
  2. We estimate that Stage 1 RCA Mode will accompany 20-25% of normal RCA activity density.
  3. On a rolling basis, faculty RCA team leaders are being invited through their Department Chairs or Supervisors to submit a DocuSign form with the On-Campus RCA Activities Request to request access to On-Campus labs or studios.
    • RCA Faculty Team Leaders need to submit a detailed plan following social distancing guidelines, with minimum number of RCA Team Members on campus at any given time, to relaunch their RCA activities.
  4. All On-Campus RCA Activities Requests are subject to detailed review, including the Department Chair, Environmental Safety & Health, the person responsible for access to the Campus facility, the Associate Dean, the Dean, and the VPR.
  5. If you have a need to conduct Off-Campus RCA Activities, please coordinate with your Department Chair to submit the Off-Campus RCA Request via DocuSign.
    • We encourage you to keep your UMBC-related Off-Campus RCA activities to an absolute minimum.
    • International travel on UMBC business is not permitted under the current conditions.
    • Documentation from the host site is required to confirm that the proposed RCA activities can be conducted.
    • Carefully consider your personal or professional travel plans, since a stop-over in certain states may require up to two weeks of self-quarantine.  These limitation are subject to change.
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