May 15, 2020

Dear Colleagues:

I hope that you and your families continue to be safe and healthy. My top priority remains the safety of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) family. I am grateful to serve at an institution full of committed and engaged leaders who strive toward excellence even amidst the uncertainty that COVID-19 brings.

Recovery planning is a dynamic process. We plan with assumptions for what is likely but understand that the environment may change. I also know that while we aspire to be past this crisis, resiliently forging forward toward a stronger UMB of the future, we also need to know what will happen now. To that end, I can share that for the vast majority of UMB employees, episodic telework will continue through the summer. I hope that knowing this gives you one fewer unknown and allows you to make plans, including taking time off work this summer. As always, please confirm with your supervisor regarding your work requirements, but remember that teleworking and staying home as much as possible makes us all safer.

As referenced in my last letter, we crafted a COVID-19 recovery plan anchored by our Core Values and guided by key principles such as ensuring the safety of our students, staff, faculty, and visitors; maintaining our high standards in educating our students; and valuing the contributions of our people. With thanks to the team that worked so diligently on this, I am happy to share the UMB Recovery Framework.

The framework outlines the process for the development of recovery plans across the University. A Recovery Task Force (RTF) will guide UMB's efforts to restore our maximum capacity to teach, research, care, serve, and operate by taking incremental steps through near-, mid-, and long-term recovery. The framework includes 12 focus areas that span all University functions. Each focus area team will include appropriate school, department, and shared governance representatives, and will meet regularly to develop recommendations and monitor progress. UMB will continue to coordinate recovery, to the extent practical and feasible, with the University System of Maryland, the University of Maryland Medical System, and other key partners.

My goal is to be transparent and communicate regularly as UMB's recovery moves forward. My hope is that we can create a better future post-COVID-19, and come out of this a stronger UMB.

I want you to know how inspired I am by the UMB community. From our health care professionals, researchers, and staff supporting the fight against COVID-19, to our students participating in virtual commencement celebrations, and our faculty and staff who are innovating as they go, UMB will be more resilient and stronger because of all of you.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
Interim President