Zoom

Zoom is a cloud-based video communications app that allows ΌͺΟιΒ齫 students, faculty and staff to set up virtual video and audio conferencing, webinars, live chats, screen-sharing and other collaborative capabilities. 

This service and vendor documentation are cloud-hosted and not controlled by Towson University. ΌͺΟιΒ齫-specific documentation is reviewed and updated quarterly. 

Why use ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s account?  

Towson University holds an enterprise account for Zoom. Using ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s account allows us to provide the features of the Zoom video service while helping to protect you, and our data when teaching and conducting business.β€― 

The ΌͺΟιΒ齫 Zoom enterprise account offers additional account privileges that a basic/unlicensed account does not. This includes a 24 hour meeting window, which means meetings can be held for longer than 40 minutes.

Chosen/Preferred Name (Lived Name) on Zoom

As part of ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, you can now choose your pronouns in your Zoom profile. First, submit a to update your Towson University record with your preferred name, pronouns, and gender identity. Next, in your ΌͺΟιΒ齫 Zoom profile.

Activate your account to get started

  • Go to , click Sign In.
  • Login using your NetID through ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s secure Single Sign-On.

If your existing Zoom account is tied to your ΌͺΟιΒ齫 email, follow these steps to join ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s account for the first time:

  • Go to , click Sign In.
  • Login using your NetID through ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s secure Single Sign-On.
  • When prompted, confirm email address.
  • Select join ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s account to launch the activation email to your ΌͺΟιΒ齫 email account. 

If you currently pay for a personal or departmental Zoom account, when prompted to join (merge) the ΌͺΟιΒ齫 account, you will be given an option to be refunded payment balance. Be sure to transfer personal account refunds to a personal email address.  

  • Open the email and join ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s account a final time to confirm. Future logins can be done directly through . 

Personal or paid accounts might receive additional emails and may experience a short delay in joining ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s environment. Customized settings and special additional features, like Zoom Video conferencing for telehealth, could be lost when joining ΌͺΟιΒ齫's account, so contact the OTS Technology Support Desk for guidance.

Access Zoom

See how to . 

  • Desktop: download through theβ€― then launch desktop app
  • Browser:  
  • Mobile device: download the Zoom app from your device's app store.
  • Blackboard: Once connected, use the "Schedule a New meeting" button.

If you’re in the Waiting Room of a ΌͺΟιΒ齫 Zoom session, you most likely aren’t logged in with your ΌͺΟιΒ齫 account. Logout and log back in securely following 

Host secure meetings

Protect confidential data during a meeting

Read and follow ΌͺΟιΒ齫's β€― (login to TechHelp with NetID to view).

Prevent uninvited attendees

  • Use ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s Zoom Account and login correctly. Both students and faculty should use ΌͺΟιΒ齫’s Zoom account for Zoom class sessions, not personal accounts. Confirm with these
  • Follow ΌͺΟιΒ齫's security recommendations β€― 
  • Schedule securely. Keep the default setting β€œΌͺΟιΒ齫 NetID Authenticated Users Only” whenever possible. about meeting settings that went into effect on Jan. 11, 2021.
  • Use Waiting Room (default). Anyone with ΌͺΟιΒ齫 NetID Zoom account will bypass the Waiting Room. Anyone else with a Zoom (non-ΌͺΟιΒ齫) authenticated account, should be held in the Waiting Room, and will need to be admitted by the host. 

  • Promote your meeting securely, especially on social media. Turn off β€œEmbed passcode in invite link for one-click join” and use pre-registration so you can send an email with a link and passcode to those who register. Require a passcode and set Personal Meeting ID (PMI) to β€œAll meeting.”

  • Get help if you’re not sure. Contact the OTS Technology Support Desk. 

Resources 

Some of the links below take you directly to Zoom support resources. If prompted to sign into zoom.us, choose Sign in with SSO and type towson-edu as the company domain. You might also need to login to view ΌͺΟιΒ齫's TechHelp Knowledge Base articles with your valid NetID.

General 

  • and Review the .
  • or
  • See more or search the .
  • Visit Zoom's Learning Center to access and to register for  

Blackboard

See Blackboard/Zoom resources for and . Learn how to . See how to or in Zoom.

Meetings

Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the OTS Technology Support Desk at 410-704-5151 or submit a ticket for assistance.

No, unlike free Zoom accounts which end after 40 minutes, ΌͺΟιΒ齫 accounts don't have a time limit. The limit is 300 attendees per meeting.
All Zoom cloud recordings are automatically copied over to Panopto for storage. They are temporarily available on Zoom for 30 days after being created.

No, not without prior consent. Such activity is a violation of student privacy and FERPA guidelines. Because electronic platforms are able to show photos and list students' names, we are not permitted to take photos of the screen and post that photo on social media or anywhere else without participant permission. See the β€œInstructional Lecture Capture Guidelines and Release Form” section on this page if you’re thinking about recording or taking a screenshot during your session.

Zoom bombing or raiding is an unwanted, disruptive intrusion, generally by Internet trolls and hackers, into a video conference call that jeopardizes privacy concerns. Follow the β€œSecurity Tips” on this page to help prevent that.

Yes. Here's how to force a Zoom Waiting Room:

Go to Zoom.towson.edu>Click Sign In>Click Settings>Under Waiting Room Options, click Edit Options>Select Everyone>Click Continue.

Yes. It's recommended that you download the Zoom desktop app to make sure it's engaged with Blackboard. Confirm you're logged in, and that "Licensed" shows next to your name in the Zoom app. If not, follow these .

Here’s the breakdown of meeting security options you can choose, based on types of invitees:

  • ΌͺΟιΒ齫 students, faculty, and staff only signed in through ΌͺΟιΒ齫 Zoom accounts. β€œΌͺΟιΒ齫 NetID Authenticated Users Only” is automatically applied by default, and if the invitee doesn’t have a ΌͺΟιΒ齫 Zoom account, they won’t be able to attend.
  • Anyone with a Zoom account. If inviting ΌͺΟιΒ齫 account holders, plus non-ΌͺΟιΒ齫 invitees (guest lecturer, transcriber, outside vendor etc.) with personal Zoom accounts: select β€œΌͺΟιΒ齫 NetID or Other Zoom Authenticated Users.” Non-ΌͺΟιΒ齫 attendees enter Waiting Room, to be admitted by host. No Zoom account means no access to the meeting.
  • Anyone. If inviting ΌͺΟιΒ齫 account holders, plus non-ΌͺΟιΒ齫 invites (guest lecturer, transcriber, outside vendor etc.) with and without personal Zoom accounts: uncheck the box β€œRequire Authentication to join.” Non-ΌͺΟιΒ齫 attendees enter Waiting Room, to be admitted by host.

INSTRUCTIONAL LECΌͺΟιΒ齫RE CAPΌͺΟιΒ齫RE GUIDELINES AND RELEASE FORM  

Guidelines

Faculty and staff who intend to use instructional lecture capture resources supported by Towson University are to adhere to the Instructional Lecture Capture Guidelines to ensure the FERPA regulations are not violated.

Release Form

If a faculty/staff member intends to reuse recordings where the image, voice or materials of students are captured, the Instructional Lecture Capture Release Form must be used. *Be sure to read the guidelines (above) first.