Pulse Check for Sept. 16, 2021

The UMB Pulse is launching partial episodes on alternating weeks featuring a Pulse Check of the latest COVID-19 guidance for University of Maryland, Baltimore (1:21), and advice from Etta Kitt (3:42), who will offer words of wisdom on navigating uncomfortable COVID-19 scenarios when returning to the office.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:16 Welcome to the New Pulse Check
• 1:21 September 16 Updates
• 3:42 Etta Kitt
• 5:00 Catch up on The UMB Pulse

Transcript

Jena Frick: 0:04

You're listening to the heartbeat of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the UMB Pulse!

Charles Schelle: 0:16

Welcome to your new Pulse Check. I'm Charles Schelle. COVID-19 guidance at UMB is being revised or introduced more frequently now, and more events are happening virtually and on campus. So to help you keep more up to date on alternating weeks this podcast will do a short Pulse Check. There is always a chance that the guidance can still change by the time this episode publishes, so please visit umaryland.edu/coronavirus to check for any updates to the guidance referenced in the space and stick around after each Pulse Check because the new segment will premiere giving advice on return to campus guidance featuring our expert Etta Kitt. He will answer your questions about how to handle uncomfortable situations in the office regarding COVID-19. In the meantime, catch up on our last full episode featuring Assistant Vice President for UMB Student Affairs Patty Alvarez. Then on Thursday, September 23, we will talk to UMB's first chief equity diversity and inclusion officer and vice president Diane Forbes Berthoud. Until then, this is your pulse check for September 16, 2021. Starting immediately KN95 masks are strongly recommended for We're happy to have Etta Kitt join us on the podcast today from the Decorum Forum where Et a will give us tips and pointers fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff when on how to gracefully and politely navigate the landscape participating in group activities where six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained, or more than five related to return to campus. An let's hear what's on th people are present. unvaccinated employees and students must wear answering machine for Ett a KN95 mask or stronger when required under the UMB Policy Requiring the Use of Face Coverings. At some point in the near future, KN95s will be required for fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff when participating in classroom and training activities. Fully vaccinated faculty or staff delivering in-person lectures or presentations may remove their KN95 mask while speaking as long as six feet of physical distance can be maintained between the faculty member or presenter and the students or audience. Faculty or staff who are not vaccinated must wear a KN95 while presenting the date of this requirement will depend on the availability and distribution of KN95 across campus and will be communicated as soon as that date is known. UMB will provide an initial KN95 mask to each person through each school and unit. Your school or unit will provide direction on how to receive your KN95 mask but please feel free to provide your own. As of September 20 2021 UMB indoor events may not provide food that is intended to be consumed at the event only grab-and-go food and beverages will be permitted. This change is intended to minimize the need to remove masks while in group settings into reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on campus. The grab-and-go food option for indoor events is okay as long as people are not eating in groups. People must wear their mask while getting food. For complete details, visit the UMB recovery website at umaryland.edu/coronavirus and search for UMB COVID-19 Guidance on Events, Eating and Drinking. UMB's master's program in medical cannabis science and therapeutics will highlight the next episode of Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell. President Jarrell will be joined by professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Andrew Coop and Associate Professor and Director of the MS in medical cannabis science and therapeutics program, Leah Sera,. UMB is home to the first graduate program in the country dedicated to the study of medical cannabis. Face to Face will air on September 23 at 2pm. For registration and other information visit umaryland.edu and type in Face to Face in the search bar.

Arms Wide Open: 3:57

I'm so excited to return to campus and see my colleagues after all this time apart I'm a natural born hugger. Etta, is it OK if I greet my co workers with my usual big bear hug? Signed, Arms Wide Open.

Etta Kitt: 4:10

Dear A W O, I love your enthusiasm and adoration you exude for your colleagues. However due to the workplace environment not knowing who is vaccinated and who isn't and not knowing if this affection would be welcome, I recommend you reserve your hugs for family and pets only. Stay sweet, Etta Kitt. Do you have a question for me? For Etta ? Send me your return to campus questions at umaryland.edu/ettakitt. That's E T T A K I T T. I'll answer them right here. All submissions are completely anonymous. They're between you and me and the four walls. Stay safe and be kind to everyone!

Dana Rampolla: 5:00

Thank you Etta Kitt for the advice. You can stream last week's UMD Pulse podcast episode now featuring Assistant Vice President of UMD Student Affairs, Patty Alvarez, and the next episode will be available September 23, featuring Diane Forbes Berthoud, who is the first UMB Chief Equity Diversity Inclusion Officer and Vice President. That's it for the September 16 Pulse cCheck.

Jena Frick: 5:25

The UMB Pulse with Charles Schelle, Dana Rampolla and Jena Frick is a UMB Office of Communications and Public Affairs production. Edited by Charles Schelle. Sound engineering by Jena Frick marketing by Dana Rampolla. Music by No Vibe. Recorded in th University of Maryland Baltimor Community Engagement Center