Zoom for Western FAQ

All faculty, staff, and students have Zoom Pro licenses through Western.

Who has access to Zoom for Western?

All faculty, staff, and students have Zoom Pro licenses through Western.

How do I access my Zoom for Western account? Do I need to request one?

You do not need to request an account; it will be activated upon login. Learn how to sign in to your Zoom account. 

Western's Zoom site address is https://wwu-edu.zoom.us 

If you are already signed into Zoom, and you see that your account profile says that you are on the basic free plan: Sign out of Zoom and sign back in using https://wwu-edu.zoom.us  

Does the new Zoom site license for Western mean I will lose my previous recordings or scheduled meetings? Can I still use my existing Zoom password?

You will not lose any previous cloud recordings or scheduled meetings. If you already have a Zoom Pro account through WWU, this change allows you to sign in using your username@wwu.edu and WWU universal password if you choose to sign into Zoom using Single Sign-On. You will still be able to sign into https://zoom.us with your existing Zoom site password. Both methods take you to the same account.

I tried to enable Zoom in Canvas, but it tells me my email does not belong to the current Zoom account.

You need to activate your account first by signing into https://wwu-edu.zoom.us with your username@wwu.edu and your universal password. After you activate your Zoom account you should be able to access Zoom from Canvas.

How do I ensure only my participants enter the Zoom meeting? 

With Zoom Single Sign-On we can now use the meeting option: Only authenticated users can join: Sign in to Zoom with an @wwu.edu account which will require participants to be logged in with their username@wwu.edu and WWU universal password. Note that this does not mean the user's account has been activated (see below). Sharing your Zoom meeting link only with your intended audience in a secure environment such as Outlook, Teams, or Canvas, is still important. See also: Requiring Authentication & Setting up Pre-assigned Breakout Rooms in Zoom

How long can I store my recordings in Western Zoom cloud storage?

All Zoom recordings using Zoom Cloud will be retained for 195 days after creation. Since Zoom Cloud storage is limited, we recommend that recordings be moved to Panopto or Stream if they need to be online for more than six months.   For more details, please see Zoom Cloud Storage Retention.

What if I require authentication for a meeting and then need to allow a guest who does not have a WWU login? What if it is a recurring meeting?

If you have used the security setting we have advised for requiring authorization, a non-WWU guest would not be able to login when faced with the WWU login that precedes joining the meeting. You can edit a Zoom meeting to disable this "require authorization" setting and then later, edit it again to require authorization after that particular session.

For recurring meetings at specific dates and times, Zoom generates multiple meetings in the meeting organizer’s view—but they all use the same Zoom invite link. Recurring meetings set with "no fixed time" will appear as one meeting. Either way, you can edit the meeting or all instances of the meeting to make the change for requiring authentication.

Why do my students appear in class with "Guest" next to their names, even when I require authentication?

When students follow the Zoom link, it will prompt them to login through WWU, but that doesn't mean they have each confirmed their own WWU Zoom account. See Sign in to Your Zoom Account.

I tried to add someone as an alternative host, but got an error that their email address “is not associated with a Zoom account.” 

This error means that the individual you are trying to add has never signed into their WWU Zoom account. Ask them to sign in to https://wwu-edu.zoom.us with their username@wwu.edu. You will be able to add them as an alternative host after they have signed into and confirmed their Zoom for Western accounts. 

I tried to add my students via "Breakout Room pre-assign" but it would not accept their names.

This means that the individuals you are trying to add have never signed into and confirmed their Zoom for Western accounts. You have two options: 1) attach a CSV file with your students' email addresses (per these instructions), or 2) Ask students to sign in to https://wwu-edu.zoom.us with their username@wwu.edu in advance of adding the pre-assign groups. You will then be able to add them on-screen after they have signed into and confirmed their Zoom for Western accounts. See also: Requiring Authentication & Setting up Pre-assigned Breakout Rooms in Zoom

My Zoom account still says it is limited to 40-minute meetings. 

Completely sign out of Zoom, and then follow our sign-in instructions to make sure you are signed in to our Zoom environment.

I already pay for a Zoom license out of my own personal or departmental budget. What happens to my license and account?

You will not need to pay for a separate license for your @wwu.edu Zoom account. You can cancel your current payments and sign in to https://wwu-edu.zoom.us

  • If you want to license Zoom for personal use, please use a personal non-Western email address, and use your Western email address (using: username@wwu.edu) to participate in Western-related Zoom meetings.

I am a student who has a personal or work-provided Zoom account that I am already signed into. Is it necessary to sign in with my WWU Zoom account?

We recommend that you sign in with your WWU Zoom account. For some meetings you will be able to join the meeting using your personal Zoom account, but there are some situations when that will be problematic. These include:

  • If your instructor wants to pre-assign breakout rooms, they will assign your WWU Zoom account to a breakout room. They will not be able to pre-assign your personal Zoom account to a breakout room. 
  • If the Zoom meeting requires you to be authenticated to Zoom for Western, the default security setting will require you to be signed in with a WWU Zoom account. 

Fortunately it is very easy to switch accounts in Zoom. You just need to click your profile in the upper right corner of the Zoom app, and then click "Sign Out." After that you can sign back to either your WWU Zoom account (using the Single Sign-On option and wwu-edu as the domain) or your personal account.

How can I tell if I am logged in to Zoom Pro through Western or my own personal account?

You may need to make sure you are signed into your Zoom app using your WWU account if you have more than one account. You should be able to tell by tapping or clicking on your profile in the upper right corner. That will bring up a menu that displays your sign-in email and also gives you options for signing out or switching accounts if you aren't signed in with your WWU account. It can also be helpful to have a different profile picture for your Zoom Pro through Western account vs. another account.

Is use of Zoom Pro through Western approved for personal use unrelated to Western?

Faculty, staff, and students should not use their Western-provided Zoom Pro license for personal use. Instead, create a free Zoom account using a personal email address for non-WWU related activities.

University software may only be used for official University business. Personal use of a Western-provided Zoom Pro license is likely a violation of both University policy and state ethics laws as a misuse of state resources for private benefit or gain per RCW 42.52.160 / Using University Resources / WAC 292-110-010. While some products, like Microsoft, provide for home-use, not all software licenses have the same kind of provisioning. 

There is a limited exception for de minimis use of state resources, but that references things like making an occasional local phone call or writing an infrequent personal email.

Can I install a Zoom app add-on?

At this time application requests will only be considered should they meet the following:

  • It is a service Western ITS already supports.
  • There is no charge for the service.
  • "Free trials" will not be considered.
  • There have been 1%+ of actively used licenses requesting the service. 

App requests are reviewed once a month. Consideration of the service does not mean that the app will be turned on. It means the app will be reviewed by a team who will determine if it is in Western's capacity to support the app, and evaluate the overall need for the campus. Apps will not be turned on for one person. If an app is turned on, it is turned on for the entire campus.
 

Where do I get support?

For additional support, contact the ATUS Help Desk: 

See also the Zoom Help Center and Microsoft Teams.