From the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Posted: Friday, January 22, 2021SUNY FACT2 Recommendations for Camera Use in Synchronous Remote Learning
The SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT2) has issued observations and recommendations on webcam requirements for remote instruction. This statement is intended to raise awareness ?around issues of privacy, equity, and inclusion.
The statement recognizes faculty concerns that many students choose to not activate their camera?s. There are many reasons for not requiring cameras?, such as maintaining student privacy, low bandwidth, and outdated technology. The statement encourages faculty members to interact with students using polls, chats, and other functionality within web-conferencing technologies.
FACT2 endorses the City University of New York’s Guidelines Requiring the Use of Cameras during Live Classes, which recommend that faculty members offering classes through web?-conferencing ?technologies cannot require that students turn on their cameras during live classes unless there is a pedagogical need to do so.
SUNY FACT2 recommends that any requirement of student live webcam use be disclosed to students before course registration and included in the syllabus, along with information on how to seek a reasonable accommodation for disability-related limitations on webcam use. The ultimate decision regarding student camera use rests with individual faculty members.
To support faculty in this recommendation, the Teaching and Learning Center will offer the workshop “Teaching Remote Synchronous: Tips and Strategies” on Wednesday, January 27, at 1:00 p.m. This workshop will provide an overview of issues and strategies related to delivering remote synchronous instruction.
I encourage you to read the full statement on the SUNY FACT2 website and participate in any upcoming campus workshops that are listed on the Workshop Registration System website.
