This page is intended for CGU faculty teaching remotely from an off-campus location.
CGU recommends a Windows or Mac (not Chromebook) computer with at minimum a Core i5 processor (or Ryzen equivalent), with 8 GB’s of memory, and a 256 GB SSD. CGU provides one Windows computer per full time staff member that meets these specifications. Additional hardware may funded by the faculty member’s department. All remote and telecommuting staff and faculty should use their CGU-supplied computer for all CGU-related work.
For a better experience, a 23-inch 1080p external monitor is recommended. A 27-inch 1440p or higher size/resolution monitor is highly recommended.
A functional webcam is necessary to participate in online meetings, virtual office hours, and online classes. Most laptops and mobile devices have built-in cameras; however, a higher quality 1080p webcam is recommended. Highest-quality 4k webcams or higher are not necessary but can greatly improve the experience for students with strong high-speed internet connections. Higher quality webcams also improve the video recording replay experience.
CGU discourages printing when other options are available. Paper and ink are not only wasteful, but printed material may be private and/or highly proprietary to the university. Printers are not provided for CGU faculty teaching remotely or telecommuting. Canvas, the learning management system used at CGU, provides a paperless option for the distribution of digital materials and a paperless options for students submit their work and receive feedback. OIT staff are available to assist with additional digital solutions, and subject-area librarians can help with digital course materials.
CGU discourages the use of disk drives. OneDrive is the recommended method of storing and sharing data. Content saved to disk drives can be private and/or highly proprietary to the university and data leakage can easily occur in a highly mobile environment.
CGU requires all computers used for CGU work to be encrypted with BitLocker (on Windows), FileVault (on Mac) or another accepted form of whole-disk encryption. CGU-supplied computers meet this requirement.
External microphones, including headset microphones, provide good experiences for meeting attendees online. Apple EarPods are not recommended, as the built-in microphone on the cord can brush against clothing, move away from the sound source, and have other quality issues during live meetings.
Most users do not need additional external lighting. To use natural and existing light fixtures in your workspace, set up your computer, particularly the computer’s webcam, in a position where lighting on your face is optimal. Do not sit in front of a window or lighting fixture, as you will be back-lit and your face will appear in dark shadows or silhouette.
Set up your computer, particularly the computer’s webcam, in a position where your background is not distracting, offensive or revealing unintended information. Decorative and functional spaces can be appropriate, but be selective about the elements of your workspace shown online. Avoid mirrors or open door ways in the background, as unintended activity may be seen from the webcam. As a best practice, try to use a blank wall as a backdrop.
Some videoconferencing and recording apps offer virtual backgrounds. If using a virtual background, consider adding a green screen to make the virtual backdrop more reliable and consistent while creating a physical barrier to your workspace. Some virtual background features can be distracting or provide a false sense of privacy when used without a green screen.
CGU highly suggests connecting physically to your home network by an ethernet cable. This will give you the most optimal connection, especially in terms of bandwidth, for your online collaboration experience. If a network cable is not accessible, please consult your network provider for the most optimal wireless setup in your home.
For most Zoom or MS Team sessions, 10mb download and upload speeds are the minimal requirement, but CGU highly suggests at least 50mb down and 20mb up.
When you are joining meetings online, especially when you are moving about campus or between campus and home, have your data, websites or other physical resources ready prior to the time of the meeting. You do not want to struggle through logging into other sites, share screen or virtual background problems, and/or need to get up in the middle of the meeting for your audience to see.
Be familiar with your collaboration tool’s capabilities. If you need to stop and deal with something in the middle of the meeting, do not distract from the meeting. Please use audio mute if you need to speak with someone in your office, video mute if you need to stand up, and/or pause share, for any activity requiring you to log in or navigate your computer to get to the relevant shared content.