Virtual Classes and Meetings

For Students, Faculty, Staff

Overview

Virtual meetings, classes, and events at Fordham can be hosted on Zoom, Google Meet. Please review the tips below so you may create a secure and effective virtual environment for everyone.

• Zoom Meetings & Webinars
• Google Meet

Virtual Meeting Security and Etiquette

Create a safe and effective virtual meeting environment for everyone.

Before the Meeting

• Make sure your device has a camera, speakers, and microphone.
  • If you need special equipment, contact the IT Service Desk for advice.
• Check that your virtual meeting application can access audio and video on your device
• Check your Internet speed.
  • To improve the quality of your connection, turn off the video.
• Choose a neutral background: A blank wall, books, office space.
  • Ceiling fans and other moving objects behind you can distract participants.
  • Bright lights behind you will cause you to be backlit. Lights should be in front of you, not behind.
  • Some virtual meeting applications allow you to set a virtual background.
• Check your appearance: Look directly into the camera, but don’t get too close.

Security Precautions for Meeting Hosts

For some of the following suggestions below, you may need to consult the guide for your specific virtual meeting application.

• Require participants to use a password before joining a meeting.
• Prevent unauthorized activity: Place participants in a waiting room until the meeting begins.
• Enable a co-host to help moderate a meeting.
• Disable file transfers to prevent viruses from being transferred to others.
• Remove unauthorized participants and prevent them from rejoining.
• Prevent participants from recording a meeting.

Our Information Security and Assurance blog offers security tips for safe virtual meetings. Look for the categories virtual meeting, Zoom, telework, and teleworking.

Meeting Etiquette for Hosts and Participants

• Close the door and minimize background noise.
• Use a headset with a microphone to optimize audio quality.
• Mute yourself when others are talking.
• Give others a chance to speak.
• Thinking of multitasking?
  • Save it for after the meeting and focus on the speaker
  • People can see you doing something else
  • Silence your message notifications and devices such as Alexa and Google Home.
• Notetakers: Type quietly or mute yourself
• Eating? Wait until after the meeting, or if you really must eat, turn off the video and mute yourself.
• Wear appropriate clothing.
• Stay focused on the meeting; don’t talk to others in the (real) room with you, even if you’re muted.
• Remember: The video camera is on. Behave as if all meeting participants are actually in the room with you.

For Meeting Hosts

• Familiarize yourself with the meeting controls ahead of the meeting.
• To prevent unauthorized access to the meeting, keep participants out of the meeting room until the start time.
• Mute participants during the meeting
  • When everyone is muted, participants can answer yes or no questions with a “thumbs-up” gesture. Some applications have a “raise hand” feature.
• Leader should use video.
• When referring to someone in the meeting, use their name
• Ask if people have questions or comments
• Keep an eye on the chat; questions for the meeting and comments about technical issues may appear there.