Yes. USG Security guards remain present, providing security services and patrolling the buildings and grounds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Universities at Shady Grove’s (USG) operations are currently modified to protect the health and safety of students, faculty and staff, given the continued challenges with COVID-19. At this time, most services and courses are being provided remotely or online. Access to campus buildings is restricted to essential personnel and those who require the use of specialized laboratories for courses on campus. Please visit the USG Onward web page for additional details.
The following are answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about USG operations and services at this time:
All on-campus events have been canceled, postponed or are being offered virtually. This includes both USG events and those by outside organizations that would have been held on campus and scheduled through the Conference and Events office.
No. Access to campus buildings are very limited at this time, and building systems have been turned off or set to minimums. Only essential personnel may be on campus, at periodic times, to maintain vital functions.
All visits to campus are strongly discouraged at this time. However, if staff or faculty members absolutely must pick up needed materials from their offices, they can do so under the following provisions. All who arrive on campus must check in at the Security Desk in Building III and present a valid ID. Security guards will log you in and out, and escort you to and from your office, with proper social distancing. We strongly urge you to call Security at 301-738-6065 in advance if you absolutely do need to make a visit to campus.
Yes, USG is receiving and sorting mail and other deliveries once a week. Mail-sorting is being done on Wednesdays. Recommended days for staff or faculty to come in to check your mailbox are Thursdays or Fridays. You may call ahead to the Security Desk at 301-738-6065.
USG staff members are advised to consult the Working through COVID-19 FAQ page on the USG website for more information on telework, leave managements, and other HR related services.
The Priddy Library’s Ask Us Chat service will be monitored by librarians and staff Monday-Friday from 10:00am - 6:00pm. Questions received outside of those hours will be answered the next business day. Librarians will also be available to answer questions via email and/or via online meeting tools such as Google Hangouts or WebEx.
Due dates have been extended on all USG items, and can be checked in My Account. If you currently have a library DVD or equipment on loan (laptop, ipad, etc.), please keep it until we reopen as we cannot currently facilitate returns of these items. You may return books to the USG book drop, or to another USMAI library. Most overdue, recall, or replacement fees accrued during the closure will be waived upon the item’s return. If you receive any emails related to fines, fees or billing for items you have on loan, please email shadylib@umd.edu.
For faculty: If your students need access to print course reserves, contact your liaison librarian. She will advise whether we can provide access to the item, and if not, suggest alternatives. We also recommend considering alternative readings/resources during this time that students can access online, such as articles or eBooks available through your home institution’s library or open educational resources (OER). Several publishers have also made electronic versions of their textbooks available for free for the rest of the semester. Check out this COVID-19 Subject Guide for more information.
For students: Several publishers have also made electronic versions of their textbooks available for free for the rest of the semester. Check out this COVID-19 Subject Guide for more information. You can also get in touch with your instructor if you need access to something on print course reserves for your class.
Yes, please visit the online store to place textbook orders and items will be shipped directly to you.
Go to the Priddy Library website. Under the search bar, click on the arrow next to the words “FIND ARTICLES.” Select your institution from the drop-down menu, which will take you to the databases provided by your home campus library.
ILL requests are made through your home institution library. At this point, many schools are only accepting requests that can be fulfilled electronically, but you should contact your home library's ILL department for the most up-to-date information.
Please note that due to the public health situation, many libraries across the country may be closed or short-staffed. Requests may take longer than normal, and some might not be possible to fulfill.
All scheduled workshops will be online only. You will need to register for the workshop and then the workshop presenter will email you login information to attend. If you missed one of our scheduled workshops, but would like to attend, you can request it at another time, either one-on-one or with a small group.
The Office of Information Technology has provided extensive information for both students and staff on the OIT website.
The Macklin Center for Academic Success continues to offer writing support virtually. Students make appointments the same way they always have (through our appointment system) and then meet with us through video conferencing tools. Feel free to share our quick tutorial about making and attending an online appointment. Please note that students are encouraged to sign up early as our appointments have been filling up quickly.
The Center for Counseling and Consultation is open with remote services, through phone calls and videoconferencing, where possible to do so. Students can set up an appointment with a counselor by calling 301-738-6273 and leaving a message. The center’s receptionist is checking messages hourly throughout the business day and will get back to you as soon as possible. Since the staff is working from home, students will likely see the return call as a private or anonymous number.
During this crisis, the Center for Counseling and Consultation has arranged to be able to accept new clients through videoconferencing. Call 301-738-6273 or visit the CCC website for details.
In an effort to support students who are facing such challenges, the Universities at Shady Grove Foundation has launched a new Emergency Assistance Fund. This special fund is being made possible thanks to the generosity of private donors, including the USG Board of Advisors and the non-profit organization, Montgomery County Business Leaders Fighting Hunger. The purpose of the new Emergency Assistance Fund is to provide students with financial support for a variety of basic needs, including food, educational materials, and technology to support online learning and academic success.
Students may apply for USG emergency assistance support by completing this short request form. All requests will be reviewed and responded to within three (3) business days.
Please note this special fund is intended not to replace, but to supplement USG’s traditional Emergency Financial Assistance program, which exists to help any student facing financial hardships due to unexpected circumstances.)
Please visit this page for information on available resources in the area for food distribution and other essential supplies.
The coordinator for Disability Support Services is maintaining contact with faculty to assist with virtual testing accommodations. However, questions related to testing should be emailed to professors regarding format and submission guidelines. Any concerns or questions related to accommodations, students should contact their home campus DSS offices. A list can be found on the USG Disability Support Services page.
Yes, Guided Study Sessions (GSS) will continue. You may get additional information on the CAS website.
Yes, Writing Fellows will continue support to students remotely using university google services. Writing Fellows will directly contact their assigned students. Writing Fellows.
Yes, the Center for Student Engagement and Financial Resources professional staff will continue to provide individual appointments and consultations using WebEx video conferencing. Students can schedule an appointment per normal procedures.
The fall 2021 USG scholarship application will be available in March. Please be sure to check out the USG Scholarship page for more information. Inquiries may be submitted via email to: usg-scholarships@umd.edu.
Yes. The USG Student Council, Graduate Student Association, Student Ambassadors, and the various student organizations and clubs, along with the CommUNITY Book Club, and Diversity and Leadership Learning Cohorts, are all continuing to operate in a modified format. Members will be contacted via standard communication channels by the lead coordinator for each specific cohort with more information and updates on the organization’s activities.
Yes, the ACES Success Coordinator will continue to provide individual appointments and consultations using WebEx video conferencing. ACES students may contact the coordinator through email.
Yes, the Senior Coordinator for Recruiting continues to provide appointments and consultation using WebEx video conferencing. Students may schedule a virtual appointment or request general information about USG programs and resources. In addition, the recruitment team created an Undergraduate Expo: Virtual Edition of the event, which includes an informative USG 101 video presentation.
Career Coaching continues for resume and interview preparation, internships and other career experiential opportunities, and job search strategies. Career coaches will provide 30-minute sessions virtually using "Google Hangout." Students can schedule an appointment via the standard procedures.
Students have an excellent opportunity to access a variety of online services through the Career and Internship Services Center, including:
- Big Interview: Learn and practice your interview skills with this online interview platform.
- Virtual Job Shadow: Explore various jobs and industries through short video reviews.
Additional resources and new virtual event offerings, such as workshops or career fairs, will be posted on the CISC website as they become available.