Zoom Guidance for Virtual Interactions with Non-Enrolled Minors
Zoom is the virtual meeting program of the University of Arizona. Online/Virtual programming for non-enrolled minors should be hosted be hosted in Zoom whenever possible.
- Zoom meetings should have the waiting room feature selected. The waiting room allows the meeting host to allow official individuals into the meeting. Password protection is also an appropriate strategy to ensure attendance is limited to registered minor participants, families, and invited guests.
- Remember that when you share links to virtual meetings through social media, anyone who has access to the link will have access to the meeting. Ensure that meetings intended for a limited audience are shared in such a way as to limit attendance (email, text, internal group messaging program).
During your online/virtual meeting, you will want to consider the following to ensure a positive and safe experience for all in attendance.
- Set ground rules for the Zoom call and share them with all participants at the start of every meeting. Communicate community standards, including no cyber bullying.
- Members should identify themselves with their first name only.
- Meeting admin should change the label of any attendees who dial in to reflect the attendee’s name rather than their phone number, which can be compromised.
- Use only “group chat” and turn off “private chat” in any virtual meeting.
- Turn off “screen sharing” for participants.
- Mute everyone upon entering to ensure audio quality.
- If a youth directly contacts an adult, a second adult should be included in all responses.
- Please keep track of virtual or conference call meetings and participation for your program records.
- Whenever possible, the meeting host should always add another adult as a co-host when using Zoom. The role of the co-host can be used to help manage the chat boxes, monitor the “Waiting Room,” and manage the “Mute” functions. Additionally, adding a co-host is essential to allow for connectivity in case of internet issues with the main host.