Zoom Etiquette

Instructors:  We recommend sharing this page with your students, so that they have the handy tips too. 

Setting up Your Zoom Space

Here are some tips for getting your Zoom set-up just right: 

• Test your audio and video without opening your room by visiting https://zoom.us/test Links to an external site.. 
• Check your background. If there is anything back there you don't want students to see, remove it or cover it up. Be sensitive to things that might be perceived as harassing.
• Be aware of noise. If your dog starts barking, mute yourself. 
• Your room lighting should come from your front, not your back. Being backlit may make it harder to see you.
• Adjust your camera so that it's at eye level and shows you from your chest up, not just your face (harder when using a built-in monitor camera).
• When speaking, look into the camera, not at your screen. That way you your students will see you looking at them and not looking somewhere else.

In the Meeting

Remember, you are on a live video and audio channel.

• Dress appropriately for your audience (as always).
• Wear pants, skirt, kilt, toga, tutu, or other covering for your bottom half. You never know when you may have to get up. While you can temporarily turn off your video, the cost is high if you forget.
• Smoking, consuming alcohol, and other behavior that is inappropriate during face-to-face on-campus meetings is also inappropriate during online meetings.
• Whenever there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, it is not permissible to record conversations without the consent of everyone taking part in the conversation. You should always get the consent of all parties before recording any conversation that common sense tells you is private.
• Respect for individual’s privacy should extend to taking still photos or screen shots of online meetings. It is best practice to ask for permission first.
• Don't do anything you don't want everyone to hear or see (e.g. yelling at the dog, using the bathroom). Don't let this be you Links to an external site.
  
• Close the computer programs you don't plan on using during the meeting, especially, email. This will reduce the chances of you accidentally sharing something you didn't mean to, such as your Canvas gradebook or a pop-up email notification with subject line "Meeting request: Accusation about inappropriate use of college funds."
• When you want to share something on your screen, share only that program, Do not share your entire desktop. Getting in this habit will also reduce the chances of you accidentally sharing something you didn't mean to.