Zoom

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

Login securely

Schedule, host, or join a TU Zoom meeting

The first time using your TU Zoom account follow these quick steps:

  1. Go to the Zoom portal, click Sign In.
  2. Enter your NetID and Password. 
  3. Hover over Resources, then click Download Zoom Client.
  4. When prompted, click Sign in with SSO.
  5. If prompted for a domain, enter towson-edu.

Options for future Zoom access

  • Browser:  Zoom portal: zoom.towson.edu. Click Sign in to login through Single Sign On (SSO). See directions (PDF).  
  • App: Zoom desktop or mobile app, click Sign in with SSO. Use the app and SSO to access a session through a meeting link.
  • Blackboard: use the Schedule a new meeting button. See directions (PDF). You must do this to establish the course connection to your Zoom account. SSO isn't needed since you've already authenticated when logging into Blackboard.

If you’re in the Waiting Room of a TU Zoom session, you most likely aren’t logged in with your TU account. Logout and log back in securely following these directions (PDF). 

Why use TU’s account?  

Towson University holds an enterprise account for Zoom. Using TU’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.  

Additionally, the TU 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. 

Get started

To get up and running in Zoom follow the steps below to activate your account, then download the Zoom client (app) to your desktop.

Step 1: ACCESS your TU Zoom Account

If you do not have a Zoom account

  • Go to zoom.towson.edu, click Sign In.

  • Login using your NetID through TU’s secure Single Sign-On.
If you already have a Zoom account using your TU email address 

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

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

    If you currently pay for a personal or departmental Zoom account, when prompted to join (merge) the TU 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 TU’s account a final time to confirm. Future logins can be done directly through zoom.towson.edu. 

Personal or paid accounts might receive additional emails and may experience a short delay in joining TU’s environment. Customized settings and special additional features, like Zoom Video conferencing for telehealth, could be lost when joining TU's account, so consider contacting the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center for guidance.

 

 

Step 2: Download the Zoom Client

From zoom.towson.edu
  • Go to zoom.towson.edu, click Sign In.
  • At the top-right of the window, hover over RESOURCES and click Download Zoom Client.
  • On the Downloads page under Zoom Client for Meetings, click Download.
  • When the Zoom Cloud Meetings window will appear, click Sign In.
  • Click Sign In with SSO, enter towson-edu in the text box and click Continue.
  • Login with your NetID and Password.
  • In the Launch Application window, click the checkbox next to Remember my choice for zoommtg links and click Open link. The Zoom client is now installed on your desktop
From the Software Center
  • Open the Software Center.
  • Type Zoom in the Search box and then click Zoom Meetings from the results.
  • Click Install.
  • After installation, open the Zoom application.
  • Authenticate with your Username (NetID) and Password and click Login.

Hosting Secure Meetings 

Using your TU Zoom account  to conduct TU business, versus an account tied to a personal email, helps protect TU's information — and yours.  Read and follow  TU’s Zoom security guidelines for configurations to see how to protect confidential data during a meeting. 

Security Tips

How to prevent uninvited attendees

  • Use TU’s Zoom Account and login correctly. Both students and faculty should use TU’s Zoom account for Zoom class sessions, not personal accounts. Confirm with these steps (PDF). 
  • Follow TU's security recommendations: Zoom security guidelines (PDF)
  • Schedule securely. Keep the default setting “TU NetID Authenticated Users Only” whenever possible.
  • Use Waiting Room (default). Anyone with TU NetID Zoom account will bypass the Waiting Room. Anyone else with a Zoom (non-TU) 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 “Embed 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 “All meeting.”

  • Learn how to use Zoom. Sign up for an OTS Training Zoom session.

  • Watch this video. Zoom 101: Securing your meetings & virtual classrooms 

  • Get help if you’re not sure. Contact the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center or Student Computing Services.

Resources 

Please note: This service is cloud hosted and updates are not controlled by Towson University. Towson University documentation for the service is reviewed quarterly to bring it into alignment with the most recent version of the service or software. 

Some of the links below take you directly to Zoom support resources. If the article instructs you to sign into zoom.us, choose Sign in with SSO and type towson-edu as the company domain.

General 

Topic Self-Help  Video
Getting started: sign in, activate, download app (PDF) (VIDEO)
Verifying you're signed in under your TU account (PDF) (VIDEO)
Signing in with SSO: Quick Reference Guide (PDF) N/A
Joining a meeting (PDF) N/A
Training Guide (PDF) N/A
Security Guidelines (PDF) N/A

Scheduling Meetings

Topic Self-Help Video Zoom SUPPORt webpage
Scheduling a meeting (PDF) N/A   N/A
Selecting the appropriate Authentication 
Method while scheduling a meeting 		N/A (VIDEO) N/A
Scheduling a recurring meeting N/A N/A webpage
Meet now vs. scheduled meetings N/A
 N/A
 webpage
Using meeting templates N/A
 N/A
 webpage
Installing Zoom add-in to Outlook  (PDF) (VIDEO) N/A
Recovering a deleted meeting N/A
 N/A
 webpage

Blackboard

Topic Self-Help Video
Configuring/integrating Zoom in a course (PDF) N/A
Scheduling/managing Zoom course meetings (PDF) N/A
Joining a meeting (PDF) N/A

Customizing Meetings

TopiC Self-Help Video Zoom SUPPORt Webpage
Creating Breakout Rooms and pre-assigned Breakout Rooms (PDF) (VIDEO)
 N/A
Using virtual backgrounds N/A N/A (webpage)
See TU virtual background options (webpage) N/A N/A
Using Whiteboard features in remote teaching (PDF) N/A N/A
How to use the Zoom Whiteboard Features for Remote Teaching N/A (VIDEO) N/A
How to Utilize Microsoft Whiteboard via your iPad with Zoom N/A (VIDEO) N/A

Using Audio and Video in Meetings

topic Self-Help video Zoom SUPPORt Webpage
Saving Zoom cloud recordings to Panopto (PDF) N/A
 N/A
Audio, video, screen sharing, and recording N/A
 N/A
 (webpage)

Training and Recorded Sessions

Support

Frequently Asked Questions

I can't get setup or log into Zoom with my TU NetID. What should I do?

Contact the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center at 410-704-5151 or submit a TechHelp ticket for assistance using this request type:  Employee > Collaboration, Video Conferencing, etc. > Zoom.

Does my TU Zoom account have a limit on meeting attendees?

Yes, the limit is 300 attendees per meeting.

 Do Towson University Zoom accounts have a limit on length of meetings?
No, unlike free Zoom accounts which end after 40 minutes, TU accounts don't have a time limit.
 How much storage space is available for recording?
There is no limit per user. TU's enterprise account has 13.47TB of shared storage.
Are breakout sessions available through my TU Zoom account?
Yes. Follow Zoom's instructions for creating a breakout room to use that feature.
Can I share screenshots or recordings of my online meetings?

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 “Instructional Lecture Capture Guidelines and Release Form” section on this page if you’re thinking about recording or taking a screenshot during your session.

How can I avoid Zoom bombing?

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 “Security Tips” on this page to help prevent that.

Can I send students to my Zoom Waiting Room when holding office hours, and admit them individually when I'm ready?

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.

If I access Zoom through Blackboard do I still have to download the app to my desktop?
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 steps.
How do I know which meeting security option to select when inviting TU and non-TU guests?

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

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

INSTRUCTIONAL LECTURE CAPTURE 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.

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