Faculty and Staff Care and Belonging Committee

The Faculty and Staff Care and Belonging Committee is a university committee dedicated to supporting our caregiving population. Our committee conducts outreach and engages in consultation with a wide range of campus stakeholders, including campus leadership, as well as the larger community outside of UMBC, to provide resources to faculty, staff and student caregivers at UMBC and to enhance a sense of belonging within the UMBC community.

“There are four kinds of people in the world:

Those who have been caregivers;

Those who currently are caregivers;

Those who will be caregivers;

And those who will need caregivers.”

– Rosalynn Carter

As UMBC’s 2025 Climate Survey revealed, UMBC is a community of caregivers: 10% of our undergraduate students and 12% of our graduate students have caregiving responsibilities.  According to the survey, 63% of faculty are caregivers and 57% of staff are caregivers.

One of the recommendations of the Climate Survey was to “strengthen caregiving and family support, and widely share/communicate these resources.” The Faculty and Staff Care and Belonging Committee is hosting a series of events in Fall 2026 to address this need, including a book discussion, a lunch and learn on caring for an aging loved one, and, partnering with Human Resources & Strategic Talent Management, an information session for division leaders and department chairs on caregivers rights and resources.

Fall 2026 Events

Community Book Discussion

The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace After the Great Resignation.

Kevin R. McClure (2025)

Please consider joining Monica Green (The Center for Well-Being) and Orianne Smith (English) for a facilitated discussion of this timely book on supporting caregiving in higher education and a conversation about how UMBC can continue its efforts to support employee well-being.

You can access and download the ebook by clicking the book image here (if you are off-campus you will be prompted to login). You can also search the online catalog and this link will get you to the record. From there you can click on the EBSCOhost Ebooks link.

All three sessions will be held on Fridays from 10 – 11:30 (room TBA). These discussions will be in-person with a virtual option. Registrants will receive a study guide, including chapter summaries, and discussion questions two weeks prior to each session. Registration information and a brief description of the book are below.

From the book summary: “Colleges and universities rarely establish working conditions and cultures that prioritize employee well-being . . . At the heart of the caring university is the premise that all employees have talent, all employees should be treated as whole people, and all employees deserve to be cared for as essential contributors to organizational success . . . The Caring University diagnoses major problems in the higher education workplace and offers practical approaches to address them as part of a sustainable change process. The book brings together several strands of inquiry and conversations in practice that have typically been discussed separately―such as burnout, caregiving, and leadership―and weaves them into a cohesive narrative that addresses all employees in higher education. This essential book reimagines the higher education workplace as a site where all employees can thrive.” Full summary and reviews here.

Friday, October 16

10-11:30 a.m.

Webex link

Workshop

“Cultivating a Caregiving Supportive Campus Culture: A Toolkit for Leaders”

The Faculty & Staff Care and Belonging Committee, in partnership with Human Resources & Strategic Talent Management, will host a virtual workshop to help supervisors and chairs support the caregivers in their units. Topics that will be addressed include:

• Recruitment and Hiring Faculty and Staff
• Retention and Advancement
• Caregiving Supportive Benefits and Resources
• Caregiving Supportive Laws and Policies

Register Here

Wednesday, November 11

12-1 p.m.

Sherman Hall 445

Lunch and Learn with Lauren Price (Erickson School of Aging Studies)

“Caring for Your Aging Loved One” 

Join us for an informative and supportive lunch and learn designed to enhance your understanding of how to best be prepared to help your aging parents and loved ones.  Whether your loved one is independent, beginning to need extra support or already receiving help, this session will provide valuable guidance, encouragement, and tools to help you feel more confident and prepared on the caregiving journey.

Lunch provided by the Erickson School of Aging

Register Here

The Faculty & Staff Care and Belonging Committee members are:

Mark Berczynski,

COEIT Dean’s Office mb15@umbc.edu

Jeff Cullen, The Center for Well-Being, Student Affairs.  jcullen@umbc.edu

Monica Green, The Center for Well-Being, Student Affairs. mgreen13@umbc.edu