EDI in the Time of COVID-19

“…difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all make the choice between what is right, and what is easy. But remember this: you have friends here. You’re not alone.”
– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

We understand these are uncertain times. In response to the novel coronavirus — and the disease it causes, COVID-19 — changes have been widespread and immediate. Classes have been switched to a remote format, people are practicing safe and physical distancing, and “self-quarantine” has become the watchword of the times.

But as Vice Chancellor Kang described earlier, even as we all adjust to the necessary precautions, we must remember to not lose the sight of the principles we have upheld. Whether in digital classrooms, online conversations, or remote scenarios, the work of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is as relevant as ever. For this reason, we have created this one-stop resource page. If you need to prevent “Zoombombing”, keep up with relevant information, or just need a refresher on best practices and policies, we are here to help.

We will update this page as new content becomes available. If you know of a valuable resource that we’ve overlooked, please let us know at rklibaner@equity.ucla.edu.

In the meantime, please be safe. Be kind. And remember, always, we are in this together. And we can all do better.

Tips and Tricks to Minimize Zoombombing

To minimize Zoombombing, we should have good defaults set on our Zoom meetings. More guidance (PDF) has just been released by the Administrative Vice Chancellor (2020 04 03).

Here are also some tips and tricks for responding in the moment as a Zoom Meeting Host.

Please note: the following shortcuts might only work if the Zoom Meeting Control Toolbar is in focus.

To Quickly “Mute All”:

Windows

Press ALT+M (toggles between “mute all” and “unmute all”)

Bonus Tip for Windows Users

In Windows, the above functions unfortunately do not prevent persistent bad actors from “unmuting” themselves manually.
Therefore, to ensure that bad actors can’t “unmute” themselves at any point during your Zoom meeting, please head to the “Manage Participants” menu (Press ALT+U), click the “Mute All” button, and then unclick the box below:

screenshot of zoom mute all function

Mac

Press Command(⌘)+Control+M: “mute all”
Press Command(⌘)+Control+U: “unmute all”
- The “mute all” function in Mac will automatically launch a dialog box as in the example above, asking you to confirm if you wish to allow participants to “unmute” themselves. In a case of bad actors, you can check that box to ensure that such individuals will not be able to “unmute” themselves manually and disrupt your Zoom meeting at any point.