UFV’s new Zoom license will allow students and faculty to host video conferences
On Sept. 2, UFV began a transition from BlueJeans to Zoom in order to provide an alternative connection tool while instruction remains primarily online. Zoom and BlueJeans are video conferencing platforms that allow for users to video or teleconference remotely.
According to the UFV Information Technology Services (ITS) blog, ITS and the Teaching and Learning Centre worked together to obtain a Zoom license for the university that now allows faculty and students to host Zoom meetings by signing up with their university e-mail address.
“Zoom has been adopted by most higher education institutions in B.C. at this point, and they have done a good job of addressing the security issues discovered early on. We have found that Zoom is more feature-rich than BlueJeans,” Adam Eason, director of client experience for UFV ITS, said via email.
Zoom’s popularity has recently surged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as educators used it to replace in-classroom learning with virtual instruction. However, several institutions across the globe, including the Canadian government, decided that Zoom’s unreliable security makes it a target for bad actors who disrupt meetings or lessons. So-called “Zoom-bombing,” where unwanted guests hijack the video conference, often by posting pornographic images or slurs in order to disrupt the intended purpose of the meeting, has been a primary concern.
“I’m sure we all remember when this issue came up,” said Eason. “It was due to meeting links not requiring passcodes to enter meetings, and it made for some interesting stories!”
Zoom’s scrutinized reputation in the media led Zoom Video Communications, the parent company, to issue several software updates in an effort to prevent Zoom-bombing and answer security concerns. Tom’s Guide, an online technology publication, recommends using a web browser for Zoom connections rather than the application software, as the application requires permission to access your device’s contacts, calendar, identity profile, microphone, camera, storage, and location. Allowing this access could leave users vulnerable to hackers.
Eason also recommends Zoom’s pre-meeting settings, which give the host power to control who enters the conference. Hosts can use waiting rooms to permit participants individually, have a “join by domain” list that requires a pre-approved email address, or install a passcode.
Students and faculty can sign up for their free account on the UFV Zoom project page.
