Rebecca Safra Oliver Mack FRONT COVER PHOTO BY: Sam Cohen
BACK COVER PHOTO BY: Sam Cohen
2025 - 26 academic calendar
FALL 2025
Sept. 2 — First day of classes
Oct. 13-14 — Fall Break
Nov. 26-30 — Thanksgiving Recess
Dec. 12 — Last day of classes
Dec. 13 — Reading day
Dec. 15-20 — Final exams
See commencement.umd.edu for any updates
winter 2025-26
Jan. 5 — Classes begin
Jan. 19 — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Holiday
Jan. 23 — Classes end
spring 2026
Jan. 26 — First day of classes
March 15-22 — Spring Break
May 8 — Last day of classes
May 9 — Reading day
May 11-18 — Final exams
May 19-22 — Commencement (college/department ceremonies)
May 20— Commencement (main ceremony)
summer 2026
June 1 — Sessions I and I-A begin
June 18 — Session I-A ends
June 19 — Juneteenth Holiday
June 22 — Session I-B begins
July 3 — Independence Day holiday
July 10 — Sessions I and I-B end
July 13 — Sessions II and II-C begin
July 31 — Session II-C ends
Aug. 2 — Session II-D begins
Aug. 21 — Sessions II and II-D end
Dining Options
Dining at Stamp
Options in Stamp
Chick-fil-A
Hibachi San
Maryland Dairy
Moby Freestyle
Panda Express
Panera
Qdoba
Subway
The Coffee Bar
Union Pizza
By Stella Garner I Tabloids editor
Stamp Student Union is the main hub on campus for grabbing a bite if you’re not interested in eating at one of the dining halls. The main food court includes options from Qdoba to Union Pizza to Subway, as well as the ever-popular — and ever-busy — Chick-fil-A. Venturing out of the main food court, you can find a cafe serving Starbucks coffee on the next floor, and the much-anticipated Panera Bread above that.
There’s also prepackaged food and drink available in the Union Shop, located just outside the food court. If you’re just looking for a quick bite or want something to bring back to your dorm, the shop offers standard gas-station fare like fresh sandwiches and fruit cups alongside PopTarts, packets of ramen and a variety of bottled drinks.
But the most iconic location in Stamp is the ice cream counter Maryland Dairy, offering up custom flavors named after some of this university’s coaches as well as classic favorites. You can also grab one of the Dairy’s sundaes, rootbeer floats or milkshakes made with in-house flavors.
Other options
There’s plenty of grab-and-go options in various buildings around campus, too. Most cafes, such as Applause in The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and Sneaker’s inside of the Eppley Recreation Center, offer smaller fare like coffee and tea drinks, smoothies and prepackaged snacks. Each cafe has something a little different to offer — you can even find boba tea inside Samovar at H.J. Patterson Hall.
The Farmer’s Market at Tawes Plaza is in full swing each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. until mid-November. Vendors can change at each market, but there is generally a variety of produce, meat, eggs and pastries to choose from. Some specialty items, such as kettle corn, pickled vegetables and homemade pot pies have also been sold at the market in years past.
Campus Cafes:
Applause The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
Breakpoint The Iribe Center
Creative Commons Tawes Hall
E+M Cafe Kirwan Food Court
Food for Thought The Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center
Footnotes McKeldin Library
IDEA Central The IDEA Factory
Quantum The Physical Sciences Complex
Rudy’s Van Munching Hall
Samovar H.J. Patterson Hall
Sneaker’s Eppley Recreation Center
Mental Health Resources
The University of Maryland has resources to help students with their mental well-being to support their academic success and overall happiness. Here’s a roundup of the materials and services available.
This university offers free counseling services to all registered students. The Counseling Center — located in the Shoemaker building — offers short-term individual counseling and can provide a referral to an off-campus provider for more frequent or specialized treatment. The center also offers group counseling, which has no limit to the number of sessions available to students, unlike individual counseling.
Students can call 301-314-7651 or come in person to the Counseling Center to schedule an appointment. That same phone number is available 24/7 for crisis support. To schedule group therapy, students can schedule a brief assessment or email the facilitator of the group they’re interested in, which are available at on the center’s website.
Counseling services also include two workshops that each consist of three sessions. The “Anxiety Toolbox”
By Anastasia Merkulova | Staff writer
is focused on teaching how to understand and manage anxiety and “Getting Unstuck” helps students recognize and take care of depression symptoms.
In addition to counseling services, there are many spaces that allow students to recharge and reflect. The Garden of Reflection and Remembrance, located on the south side of Memorial Chapel, was built as a space for meditation. There is a labyrinth and benches that allow community members reflect around nature.
Gardens and other outside reflection spaces are all available in a self-guided “Mindful Moments Walking Tour.” The tour offers many locations and prompts that inspire students to form deeper connections with themselves and the campus.
A quiet, indoor reflection space is open to students in the McKeldin Library. It is a shared space, which students can use for meditation or prayer, and is located on the southwest side of the third floor.
Finding community and acceptance is important for mental well-being, and this university offers spaces
to people from various backgrounds. Belonging and Community at UMD has various units that serve diverse members of the community.
The LGBTQ+ Equity Center builds a campus community that welcomes all gender identities and sexual orientations. The Nyumburu Cultural Center, another unit, is a center focused on Black student interaction, with many cultural activities and events available.
The University Health Center also offers wellness services. There are weekly meditation sessions via Zoom, nature-based in-person meditations and pre-recorded sessions available for students to do on their own time.
Another event hosted by the health center is Wags for Wellness, which consists of visits from well-trained volunteer puppies to various locations throughout the semester. These visits provide stress-relief for community members and are an outlet for emotional well-being for those missing their pets.
Football gameday guide
Maryland football fans heading to SECU Stadium this fall will experience changes aiming to make the gameday experience more comfortable, family-friendly and festive.
The program is keeping its tradition of themed matchups, but with a few additions. Dates include Prince George’s County Homecoming Day on Aug. 30 vs. Florida Atlantic, Young Terps Day on Sept. 13 vs. Towson, Family Weekend and Mental Health Awareness on Oct. 4 vs. Washington, Homecoming on Nov. 1 vs. Indiana and Military Appreciation Day on Nov. 22 vs. Michigan.
The slate also introduces two newcomers: a Friday night “Sundown Showdown” against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5 with glow sticks and a country-inspired atmosphere and “Oktoberfest” on Oct. 11 against Nebraska featuring seasonal food and in-stadium activities.
A major addition for 2025 is Terpsville Fan Fest. Located inside Jones-Hill House, the pregame hub will open three hours before kickoff with activities such as inflatables, face painting and yard games.
Fans can watch other college football action on big screens, grab a bite to eat or toss a football on the practice turf. Those arriving early will also be able to greet the team during the Terp walk as players pass through fan fest on their way into the facility.
By Michael Howes I Sportseditor
A new Family Section, 212, will come with a “Little Terps, Big Cheers” package, where one adult ticket gets you two children’s tickets.
The section will feature kid-friendly concessions at discounted prices, along with activities like iSpy games, collectible buttons and “My First Terps Game” certificates. Halftime will also bring a chance for young fans to meet Testudo during a new “Turtle Time” photo session.
Inside SECU Stadium, seating has been widened in the lower bowl and new handrails installed to improve safety and comfort. Two grab-and-go concession stands — behind Sections 3 and 21 — are set to reduce wait times with quick-service drinks and snacks. This year’s menu will also include additions like a cheesy crab pretzel, chicken and maple wraps and a brisket platter.
The South Gate will be renamed the Coach Jerry Claiborne Gate, recognizing the hall of famer who led the Terps from 1972 to 1981. Nearly 70 of his former players supported the initiative, which also helped establish an endowed scholarship in his name.
The Big Ten Network will broadcast live from campus on Aug. 30 before Maryland’s season opener against FAU, adding another spotlight to a season full of changes in College Park.
Game Day Bites
new items at concession stands
Secu stadium during Maryland football’s 44-17 win over Indiana on Sept. 30, 2023. (Redox Robinson/The Diamondback)
How UMD students can find entertainment for free or reduced prices with a click
By Cameron Lee | For The Diamondback
Prices are rising everywhere — at the grocery store, at the doctor and at the gas station. The streaming services where we keep our favorite movies, shows, songs and podcasts are no exception. Netflix raised its prices in January, while Spotify is also set to increase its prices later in 2025.
These profit-boosting measures affect binge watchers and playlist shufflers everywhere, including students at the University of Maryland. Thankfully, many of your favorite movies, shows and albums can be found for free or discounted prices with just a few clicks. Here’s how:
TV and movie streaming
Many streaming services are free for anyone, regardless of student status. The surprisingly diverse content offered on Tubi makes it the best of the bunch, featuring fan-favorite movies such as Knives Out, Coraline and Licorice Pizza, and binge-worthy shows including Hell’s Kitchen, Gossip Girl, Columbo and Death Note with no subscription needed.
Tubi even has a live TV option, with sports, news and many classic shows. I found Tubi to be particularly helpful in October during my spooky movie marathon — many hard–to–find cult classics are streaming there for
no cost.
Another free service is Pluto TV, which also has a live TV option. Plex and Xumo are also worth checking out. Through the university’s library system, you also have free access to Kanopy, which offers a vast assortment of A24 films, documentaries and indie classics.
Students can use their enrollment status at this university to score student discounts on many big names streaming services. With a student discount, Hulu with ads is $1.99 a month, Amazon Prime, which includes other benefits such as free two-day shipping on delivery orders, is $7.49 a month after a six–month free trial and Paramount+ Essential is 50 percent off the first year, then about $4 a month.
Xfinity on Campus is the university’s free cable service offered to on-campus students and allows students to access Max for free.
Music streaming
The free option for music listening is YouTube Music and can only be used with an internet or cellular connection. Using your student status at this university gives access to the student plan of YouTube Music Premium, which allows offline streaming and unlimited
playing for $7.99 a month after a month free trial.
Major music services such as Apple Music and Spotify Premium also offer student plans, both at $5.99 a month after a one-month free trial. The Spotify Premium student plan includes Hulu with ads, while Apple Music includes access to Apple TV+.
The Amazon Prime student plan, priced at $7.49 a month after a six-month free trial, features Amazon Music for no additional cost. Songs added to the AllAccess Playlist can be played with just a click, online or offline and no skip limits. Amazon Music Unlimited, an upgrade from Amazon Music that allows ad-free listening, is $5.99 a month after a month free trial.
E-book access
Project Gutenberg is the oldest digital library and provides access to 70,000 free e-books, mostly classics like Frankenstein, Pride and Prejudice and Moby Dick that are in the public domain.
If you are a Kindle user and have a library card, you can use the service Libby to borrow e-books or audiobooks and read them on your device or in the Libby app.
Add/Drop period Explainer
Students at the University of Maryland have the opportunity to adjust their schedule throughout the beginning of the semester. Choosing classes can be scary and stressful, but knowing how to use these tools can make the process easier.
Here’s all you need to know about the add and drop period at the beginning of the semester.
Schedule adjustment period
Students can add or drop courses from their schedules during the first 10 business days — or about two weeks — of the semester. Courses added during this period will appear on a student’s permanent record, while dropped classes will not. For the fall semester, the last day of the schedule adjustment period is Sept. 15 and the spring semester’s last day is Feb. 6.
While the ability to change around your schedule during this time may be useful, it’s best to have your ideal class schedule planned in advance. Advisors
By Keira Hardesty I Staff writer
are a great tool to help you find which classes are the best to take.
Penalties for drops and refunds
If a full-time undergraduate student is still registered for 12 or more credits after a class is dropped, they will not receive a refund for that dropped class. But, refunds can come into play if a student is registered for 11 credits or fewer after the drop.
Before the semester starts and for the first five days of classes, if you drop a course and are then registered for 11 credits or fewer, you will be charged part-time per credit hour tuition. If you add a class later on and are again registered for 12 credits or more, you will be charged full time tuition.
After day five of schedule adjustment until the end of schedule adjustment, if a student drops a course and is then registered for 11 credits or fewer, they will be charged on the basis of part-time per credit hour
plus 20 percent of the difference between full-time tuition and fees and part-time charges.
After the schedule adjustment period ends, there will be no refunds for students who change from full-time to part-time status.
To avoid unwanted fees, it is important to ensure you are staying registered for the number of classes to keep you at the status you wish to have, whether that be part-time or full time. Talk to your advisor about which of these statuses is best for you.
Drop period
After the drop period ends, students have until the 10th week of the semester to drop the classes for no grade penalty. Classes dropped during this time will appear on a student’s permanent record with a mark of “W,” which has no impact on the student’s GPA. A student may only drop up to four credits during the drop period.
impacted by the university’s new budget plan
By Sam Gauntt I Assistant news editor
The University of Maryland will increase tuition and no longer provide merit increases for certain employees under its new budget plan announced in June.
The announcement came after the passage of the University System of Maryland’s final fiscal year 2026 budget plan, which will cut $155 million, or 7 percent, in funding from colleges and universities across the state compared to last year.
This university will receive $59 million fewer in funding compared to last year, university administrators wrote in a campuswide email in June.
Here’s how university community members will be affected by the new budget plan.
Undergraduate tuition:
• For in-state students, tuition is set to increase by 4 percent to $10,490.
• For out-of-state students, tuition is set to increase by 2 percent to $40,253.
• Mandatory university fees are set to increase by 4.5 percent for both Maryland residents and non-residents.
Graduate tuition:
• For in-state students, tuition a credit hour is set to increase by 4 percent to $878.
• For out-of-state students, tuition a credit hour is set to increase by 2 percent to $1,878.
• Mandatory university fees are set to increase by 5 percent for both Maryland residents and non-residents.
Faculty and staff:
• This university will no longer offer merit increases for non-bargaining employees next year.
• Spending on travel, capital and consultantrelated expenses will be cut.
• The number of contractual and hourly employees will be reduced.
• Recently-vacated positions will be left empty.
In an email signed by university president Darryll Pines, senior vice president and provost Jennifer King Rice, and finance vice president and CFO Greg Oler, university administrators said this university’s budget plan is financially sustainable.
“We recognize the challenges and stress that the current budget environment represents for our entire community,” the email read. “Without question, we remain committed to carrying out the pillars of the Fearlessly Forward strategic plan, and we are fully dedicated to teaching, research, scholarship and service for the public good.”
Backpack ideas and tips
By Talia Macchi I Diversionsreporter
Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a seasoned senior, the start of a semester can feel like stepping into a whole new world. Falling back into routine with new classes, a fresh schedule and maybe a different living situation can seem daunting at first. On a large, hectic campus, there is nothing more comforting than knowing you have everything you need tucked safely in your backpack or class bag to keep your day running smoothly. Think of your bag as your own little survival kit — a small stash of things to make you more prepared for anything coming your way.
First things first, your backpack has to work for you. You want a bag that can fit everything you need without feeling like you’re holding bricks, a problem that is especially unpleasant in the early fall heat. Comfort and confidence are key when walking across a big campus, so make sure your bag has enough space, feels good on your back and shoulders and doesn’t leave you regretting your choice halfway through the day.
Most obvious and most important is to carry your
laptop with you. It will be your lifeline for classes, so make sure to also throw a few chargers in your bag. A dead phone or laptop is the fastest way to turn a good day into a bad one. Keep your laptop organized by closing tabs and organizing files so it doesn’t crash the moment you need it most.
Some professors will prefer handwritten notes and quizzes, so making space in your bag for a few pencils and pens and a notebook or two is a must. Plus, if you get bored in class you can always mindlessly doodle.
Whether it is online or on paper, having a planner or calendar is vital for organization. With most students living by a day-to-day schedule, it’s crucial to be aware of assignments and daily to-dos. Making a checklist is helpful and marking a calendar with due dates is another beneficial piece. With many happenings and events on campus, it can be easy to forget the things that are most important.
Water and food are key for energy and energy is key for focus. Keeping a reusable bottle on you is great
with all the available water filling stations on campus, and snacks are lifesavers during long classes or while going about your busy day.
Putting on headphones or earbuds can help you escape from a stressful day. Whether you pop them on between classes or play something to help you get out of bed in the morning, being able to listen to music or a podcast or call someone can be a mood booster.
Hand sanitizer, chapstick, tissues, gum and tylenol can be a game changer as well. You never know when you are going to need one of these little items — you’ll never regret packing a small personal care pouch in your bag.
Lastly, don’t forget to carry confidence and flexibility with you as this next semester begins. Being able to adapt to change and stay open to new experiences is vital in a vibrant and unpredictable college space.
UMD residents cannot bring personal electric scooters to campus this fall
University of Maryland students living in dorms, university-owned fraternity and sorority houses and South Campus Commons apartments will no longer be able to bring their own electric micromobility vehicles onto campus starting this fall, the Depart-
By Lillian Glaros I Staff writer
ment of Transportation Services announced this summer.
Effective Aug. 1, resident students will not be able to register their electric micromobility vehicles with DOTS. Vehicles that are
not registered could be booted or impounded, and the students who own them may be fined, according to the announcement.
This restriction is necessary to protect resident students from the fire hazard posed by electric micromobility vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries, the announcement read. Multiple micromobility vehicles caught fire at this university in 2024, The Diamondback previously reported.
“These updates aim to promote safe riding, reduce fire risks and more effectively integrate electric micromobility vehicles into the campus transportation scene,” DOTS wrote in an email to campus community members about the announcement.
DOTS also announced a new annual $35 registration fee for all personal electric micromobility vehicles. Money from the fee will go toward improving campus road safety.
The department shared on Wednesday that it is set to launch a new and larger fleet of Veo scooters this fall and is expanding its Capital Bikeshare service. The new fleet of Veos have enhancements such as brake lights, helmet detection and an intoxicated rider quiz.
University of Maryland Police are going to increase enforcement of moving violations to ensure that users are following traffic laws, according to the announcement.
A micromobility workgroup made up of staff members, students and university leadership worked over the past year to develop recommendations for the changes.
This university did not provide comment in time for publication.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this storymisstatedDOTS’new$35registration fee applies to all micromobility vehicles. It onlyappliestoelectricmicromobilityvehicles. This story has been updated.
A student uses an electric scooter along Regents Drive on Sept. 3, 2024. (Giuseppe LoPiccolo/the diamondback).
