New Zoom Features & Announcements

New updates to Zoom furthering DEI efforts in teaching and learning

6/25/2021

Zoom announced the release of version 5.7.0 on June 21. The new version has updates and features that are exciting and can be counted as wins in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) space leading to student success.

Among many new and enhanced features being offered, a few notable ones include:

• Support for pronouns
  • Users now have the ability to enable their pronouns to be displayed as part of their display name in meetings and webinars.
  • Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
  • Learn how to show your pronouns in Zoom
• Request Live Transcription enablement as participant
  • Meeting participants and webinar attendees can request the host enable Live Transcription, avoiding interrupting the host to request this verbally or through chat. This can be also requested anonymously.
  • Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
  • Learn how to request that the host enables live transcription in a Zoom meeting or webinar
• Share screen to all Breakout Rooms
  • When sharing a screen in the main session, the host or co-host can share their screen to all active Breakout Rooms.
  • Available for Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Learn how to share your screen to all breakout rooms

Learn more:

• Refer to the Zoom Release Notes for June 21, 2021 to review all features included in the 5.7.0 version

Action needed: Changes coming to U-M Zoom on May 18

4/13/2021

On May 18, 2021, the university will roll out changes to U-M Zoom to improve security and ensure that U-M Zoom may continue to meet the university community’s needs. U-M Zoom users are being notified of these changes on a rolling basis. It is important that you take action if you are hosting Zoom Meetings on or after May 18 or have Zoom cloud recordings you wish to retain.

Upcoming changes:

• Security Settings: U-M will require all Meetings occurring on or after May 18, 2021, to use Authentication, a Waiting Room, or a Passcode. Webinars will not be impacted.
• Cloud Recording Retention: U-M Zoom’s cloud recording retention policy will change from 180 days to 150 days on May 18, 2021. All cloud recordings will be retained for 150 days before being auto-deleted.
  • This change will apply to both existing and new cloud recordings. Local recordings will not be impacted.
  • On May 18, any existing cloud recordings created on or before December 18, 2020 will be moved to the trash for 30 days before being permanently deleted.
• Breakout Room Capacity: All U-M Zoom meetings occurring on or after May 18, 2021 will have an increased Breakout Room capacity.

Take action before May 18:

1. Add a security setting to your Zoom Meetings before May 18, if you haven’t already. If you don’t take action, a Waiting Room will be turned on for your Zoom Meetings that do not already have a Waiting Room, Authentication, or Passcode.
2. Download any Zoom cloud recordings (refer to Long-term storage and/or hosting options) created on or before December 18, 2020, that you want to keep.
   
   1. If you have a large number of recordings, you can copy them in bulk to your U-M Dropbox for long-term storage and hosting. (Refer to the second bullet in the linked article.)

Learn more:

• Refer to the U-M ITS How to Secure Meetings site for information about Waiting Rooms, Authentication, Passcodes, and other security settings.
• Learn more about Breakout Rooms in Zoom Meetings.

Prevent uninvited guests from disrupting your Zoom events

3/31/2021

It's been a year since U-M began teaching, learning, and working remotely. Take some time to brush up on best practices for protecting your Zoom events from disruption ("Zoombombing") and exciting new features to help you keep your events secure.

General Security Best Practice

Every Zoom Meeting should be secured with at least one security setting.

• For meetings where U-M students, faculty, and staff and 10 or less external participants will be in attendance, ITS recommends Authentication ("Require authentication to join > University of Michigan Users").
• For most meetings where more than 10 external participants will be in attendance, ITS recommends a Waiting Room configured with U-M recommended settings.

New Security Features

1. Allow up to 10 non-UM guests to join your UM-only Zoom meetings and webinars without turning off the Authentication requirement (Require authentication to join>University of Michigan Users).
2. Determine which Zoom Meetings you host may be at risk of Zoombombing and add Authentication, a Waiting Room, and/or a Passcode to the meeting.
3. Be an early adopter of the new security setting, Require that all meetings are secured with one security option. Learn about the setting, how to prepare your meetings, and how to enable the setting.

Public Events

Are you hosting an event on Zoom that is open to the public and posted on a website, social media, or other publicly accessible place? These events are the most susceptible to Zoombombing and it is of critical importance that you take steps to secure the event.

Learn more:

Refer to the U-M ITS How to Secure Meetings site for information on Zoom security best practices.