Fall 2021 Resources

Due to social distancing requirements, instructors may wish to hold live class sessions virtually for some or all students. In addition, these live class sessions may need to be recorded and made available to students who are unable to participate live, due to approved absence requests. The following information will help faculty to prepare to teach in this virtual environment, while protecting student privacy and adhering to best practices.

About Online Collaboration & Meetings

Syllabus Communication

Post information in the course syllabus so that students are aware if the class will be held virtually and/or recorded. Provide expectations for students regarding participation, while keeping student privacy concerns in mind.

Recording and FERPA Issues

The degree to which an individual student may be identified during a live or recorded class session can vary depending on several things, e.g. size of class enrollment, unique attributes, self-descriptive statements, etc.

For live streaming, the following precautions should be utilized:

• Inform all students that you will be live streaming or recording the class and that access to live and recorded sessions will be limited to students enrolled in the course. This can be done with a general statement in your syllabus and on your Blackboard page. If you do not regularly record classes, make an announcement prior to beginning the recording.
• Links to access live or recorded sessions (where students may be identifiable) should only be posted on Blackboard and should be password protected so that the ability to view the recording is limited to those students enrolled in the course. The amount of time that a recording is available should be limited to two weeks.
• Classroom cameras are typically in the back of the room and should remain facing forward at all times and when possible (the field of view will be to instructor).
• Before recording a class where there is heavy student involvement/discussion, consider whether a recording is necessary. If a student is unable to attend their scheduled classroom discussion session, consider having them attend a separate discussion or other way of achieving the goal of the discussion. Finally, consider the subject matter of the discussion and whether it is appropriate to record it
  given your field of study/program. If you choose to record a class involving a high amount of student engagement or discussion, consider adding a statement to the course syllabus, such as:
  • Sharing personal experiences and opinions is an important part of the learning process. In the (hybrid, hyflex, synchronous, etc.) environment of 2 this course, all of our interactions are recorded (via Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Yuja etc) and made available to students in the course. The purpose of these recordings is to enhance learning for all students. If your peers make personal statements in this course, consider those comments in the context of our learning goals and do not share them with people outside the course. If you have questions or concerns about any recordings, please contact me.
• Become familiar with student privacy options for the technology being used (Zoom or Bb Collaborate Ultra).
• If a student approaches you with a concern regarding streaming or recording, whether in person or participating remotely, direct them to the Request to Restrict Directory Information form. UIT and TTaDA can also assist the student and instructor to ensure privacy needs are met.

Keeping Student Identity Private

Consider the following for students who wish to keep their identity private during live and recorded sessions:

• Students who are very concerned about privacy and who use the FERPA privacy flag in Campus Connection would receive an anonymous identifier and email address, such as User1234@und.edu. They can then also update their display name in Zoom and Blackboard to remain anonymous (see additional information below).
• When participating from the physical classroom:
  • In most classrooms, cameras are in the back of the room and should remain focused on the instructor only.
  • Typically, only the instructor audio will be captured, but faculty may wish to avoid calling on students by name and discourage students from stating their name before asking or answering a question.
  • Faculty should repeat student questions and responses to ensure the remote audience is able to hear.
• When participating in the class virtually, the privacy settings vary based on the technology being used. Students may wish to leave their camera off and not type in the chat window to avoid sharing their identity. Participants who do not speak or participate in chat are not visible in the recording.

Comparison Chart

Zoom

• When using Zoom Cloud recording, only the speaker is recorded. As participants speak, their name and profile pic/video are visible and
  included in the recording. The recording is only available to the instructor until the instructor chooses to make the recording available
  to others by sharing the link. The recording link is automatically password protected, so that only users with the password may view
  the recording. Participants are unable to record in Zoom unless granted permission by the meeting host.
• When using Zoom local recording, a gallery view of all participants is recorded, but participant names are not included in the recording.
• If participation is required, the student may wish to change their display name or remove their last name from their Zoom profile. The
  Zoom host (instructor) can also use the Zoom In-Meeting Security options to allow participants to rename themselves from the
  Participants panel during a meeting if they don’t want to change their profile.

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

• Only speakers with their camera turned on are visible and names are not displayed with the speaker.
• The chat may be set up to be anonymous in advance, so that chat is visible, but users are not identified.

Review Live Recordings

Review and edit live class recordings before posting or sharing with students.

• The recording can be paused or stopped if a topic/discussion occurs that is not appropriate to include in the recording.
• Questionable or unnecessary comments or discussions may be edited from the recording by downloading the recording and uploading into YuJa.
• Zoom recordings are automatically password protected, so only students who receive the password may view the recording. Blackboard Collaborate recordings are only made available in Blackboard when the instructor chooses to make them available.

Student Privacy and Best Practices for Virtual and Recorded Class Sessions

University Information Technology (UIT) recognizes the need for technical support as we prepare to welcome our students to back to campus for the Fall 2021 semester. While some of our tech support procedures have changed, you can expect that our team will be working just as hard to serve your tech needs.

Tech Support has received positive feedback regarding the prompt response and resolution of the services we have been providing at a distance and will continue to offer most support remotely. If unable to resolve an issue remotely, Tech Support may request the user to schedule an appointment to drop off equipment or do in-person troubleshooting depending on the situation.

Tech Support

Use the UIT “Search for Answers” knowledge base for self-help, start a chat or submit a selfservice ticket by clicking on the “Help Center” link. Tech support will attempt to resolve issues remotely over the phone, chat, remote desktop or phone.

701.777.2222
Tech Support Hours

Self Service or Scheduled Support

In instances where issues cannot be resolved remotely, users will be directed to use one of the self-service support options:

• Drop off or pick up equipment using the self-service kiosk found in the UIT Service Desk area, located in the lower west side of the Chester Fritz library. The kiosk is available anytime the Chester Fritz library is open to the public.
• Schedule an in-person visit to our Service Desk located in the lower west side of the Chester Fritz library to drop off or pick up equipment or to do some in-person troubleshooting.
• Schedule a visit to the user’s office location for assistance with issues that cannot be resolved remotely or by dropping off the equipment for servicing.
• While computers are being worked on, laptops are available for checkout

Service Desk

• During the first three weeks of classes (August 23-Sept 10) the Service Desk will have a tech support representative available in-person during operational hours. After this time, an inperson tech support representative will be available during peak service times.
• The Service Desk is equipped with computer kiosk providing telepresence support during operational hours when there is not an in-person presence at the desk.
• When no services are available at the Service Desk users can still contact Tech Support by phone or chat and we will assist by offering Self-Service or Scheduled Support options as appropriate for any issues that cannot be resolved remotely.
• 3D print files can be submitted through the ticketing system. UIT staff will print the files and offer Self-Service or Scheduled Support options for the finished print.
• Hardware damage assessments can be completed virtually using a camera and/or photos, or reviewed using Self-Service or Schedule Support options.
  • While computers are being worked on, laptops are available for checkout

Classroom/Lab Technology Support

During the first three weeks of classes (August 23-Sept 10), UIT will provide on-site tech support Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to mitigate classroom technology issues. The following buildings/zones will have a physical presence of tech support staff.

• Zone 1: Abbott, Witmer, Hyslop, Starcher
• Zone 2: Education, Gillette
• Zone 3: Merrifield, Gamble
• Zone 4: O’Kelly
• Zone 5: Nursing
• Zone 6: Columbia Hall
• College specific IT support staff will be supporting their academic buildings, all other support will be remote or proved by UIT on-site personnel.

Tech Support calls from classroom phones will be escalated to the top of the phone queue. Additional access and resources have been devoted to allowing Tech Support to resolve more classroom computer issues remotely.

ResNet Services

Use the “Search for Answers” knowledge base for self-help or submit a self-service ticket in UIT and clicking on the “Help Center” link. ResNet Support will be provided remotely when applicable.

ResNet Contact

701-777-3424
resnet@und.edu

Telecommunication Services

Use the “Search for Answers” knowledge base for self-help or submit a self-service ticket by going to UIT and clicking on the “Help Center” link. Telecommunications support will be provided remotely when applicable.

Fall 2021 Tech Support Procedure

Classroom and Lab Technology

UND offers religious and disability-based accommodations to students. Accommodation requests relating to face coverings will be treated the same as other requests under existing UND Policy. Please note that these accommodations will only be provided for a disability-based reason or for a sincerely held religious belief. Philosophical or political reasons, even if sincerely held, do not constitute grounds for an accommodation.

Disability-Based Accomodations

Students requesting a disability-based accommodation should contact Disability Services for Students (DSS) at 701-777-2664 or UND.dss@UND.edu.

In order to arrange accommodations, students disclose their disabilities to UND Disability Services for Students, request accommodations, and provide documentation to establish a logical link between the requested accommodation and the disability. If an accommodation is granted, DSS will provide a DSS Verification Document that verifies the student’s need for the disability accommodation and lists the recommended accommodations. The verification document does not provide a student’s diagnosis or basis for the disability accommodation.

Instructors may ask to see the DSS Verification Document to verify that the student is registered with DSS and entitled to a disability-based accommodation.

Religious-Based Accomodations

Religious accommodations are reasonable changes in the academic environment that enable a student to practice or observe a sincerely held religious belief without undue hardship on the University.

Students may make a request directly to their instructor or contact the EO & Title IX Office. If instructors are unsure if a requested adjustment is a reasonable change or if it would impose undue hardship on the University, they may contact the EO & Title IX Office at 701.777.4171 or UND.EO.TitleIX@UND.edu.

Faculty Accomodations FAQs

If a student is not wearing a mask after I have stated masks are required, may I ask why?

Yes. Unless students have a disability or religious-based accommodation/exemption, faculty have the authority to require masks in the class. You may ask an unmasked student why they are not wearing a mask to determine if they have such an accommodation.

If a student says they will not wear a mask due to religious or disability-based reasons, can I ask them if they have an approved accommodation from EO & Title IX or DSS?

Yes. Faculty may ask students to provide verification that the lack of face covering is an approved accommodation for that student.

If a student says they will not wear a mask due to religious or disability-based reasons and has not received an accommodation through the appropriate process, can I still require them to wear a face covering?

Yes. UND has established processes in place for determining if a religious or disability-based accommodation is warranted. You must honor these reasonable accommodations but are not obligated to honor a student’s request that does not qualify for an accommodation.

What do I do if a student does not have an accommodation and still refuses to wear a face covering after I ask them to do so?

If possible, it is recommended that faculty do what they can to assist students to comply with a request to wear a face covering (e.g. make disposable masks available for students who forget to bring a face covering). If the student refuses to wear a mask, UND recommends the following actions:

• Stage 1: First report of noncompliance. Faculty member addresses concerns with the student and reports the concern to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR). OSRR staff notify the student that a report has been shared, that no further action will be taken, and that OSRR will respond through the student conduct process if they receive additional reports.
• Stage 2: Second report of noncompliance. Faculty member addresses the concern with the student and reports the concern. OSRR staff will notify the student of the report and initiate the student conduct process.
• Stage 3: Third and subsequent reports of noncompliance. Faculty member addresses the concern with the student and reports the concern. OSRR staff will initiate the student conduct process. A student going through multiple student conduct processes will likely receive a more substantial sanction if found responsible.

How should I address a student about noncompliance in the classroom?

Our recommendation is that the faculty member begin with reminding the student of the face covering requirement, and provide a disposable mask for use to the student if the student does not have one available. If the student continues to refuse to wear a face covering, the faculty member should indicate to the student that they should put on a face covering or leave the classroom. If the student still refuses, the faculty member should tell the student to leave the classroom. If a student refuses to leave the classroom, the faculty member has the option of continuing with class or they can contact UPD for assistance. Note: this is the process we currently recommend for any behavior concerns that occur within the academic setting, including classroom disruptions.

• Faculty can report concerns to OSRR by:
  • Raising a ‘Student Behavior Concern’ flag in Starfish.
  • Submitting a ‘Share a Concern’ or ‘Student Conduct Complaint’ directly to OSRR. This option is also available to staff.
  • Calling (777.2664), emailing (UND.osrr@UND.edu), or stopping by OSRR (McCannel 190) and sharing the information with OSRR. This option is also available to staff.

For the past year, the Office of the Provost has recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic has required faculty members to significantly adjust their teaching modalities and pedagogies, and many faculty members have also had their research and creative activities adversely impacted.

Conditions are improving as we enter the 2021-22 academic year, and the availability of vaccines has changed the dynamic in positive ways. Nevertheless, our collective effort to overcome this pandemic through vaccine saturation and other mitigation measures is ongoing, and the rise of COVID-19 variants reminds us that ongoing diligence is needed.

Thus, the Office of the Provost continues to encourage chairs and deans to give adequate consideration to the effects of pandemic conditions on research/creative activity and productivity, and to teaching in annual evaluations. Faculty should check with their college dean on how they have communicated such expectations to those in decision making positions such as department chairs, directors and department evaluation committees. Modifications to normal classroom procedures made this fall term (2021) because of specific concerns related to COVID-19 should not have a negative effect on that faculty member’s annual evaluation or employment options in the future. To the extent possible, annual evaluations and employment-related decisions should be made on the basis of non-COVID-19 considerations.

Faculty may receive notifications from the Provost’s Office (Karyn Plumm), someone designated in their college or school, or the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Below is an outline of the process that occurs for these notifications to be sent.

1.  Student tests postive for COVID.

2.  Their case is assigned to a contact tracer.

3.  The contact tracer conducts an interview with the case.  If the student submits their own form following the interview you will receive a COVID notification at this point.  This notification is sent only to instructors teaching on campus or hybrid courses the student is currently enrolled in.  The purpose of this notification is to provide awareness of possible COVID exposure to the class. 

4.  The contact tracer sends information to UND (Alex Pokornowski) regarding the positive case.

5.  If the student has not self-reported, Alex will submit a VEOCI report for the student.  Some faculty will receive the COVID notification detailed above at this point because the student did not previously submit the form.  

Faculty may also receive absence notifications.  Absence notifications are sent out on the behalf of a student when they are unable to attend class due to medical, personal or family emergencies, and other related reasons, including COVID.  An absence notificaiton does not require a faculty member to excuse an absence.  It is sent as a courtesy for the student to inform faculty of a student's absence and the general reason.  These notes typically come from the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities.