As funders move to teleconference and videoconference solutions in response to COVID-19, many questions emerge around the protocols surrounding these solutions and how to prepare board members to use them.
This email was sent by staff of the Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation before its board’s first Zoom meeting:
Dear all,
I hope you doing well during this difficult time. As you know, the Foundation will be holding all of our upcoming April 6th meetings via teleconference. We will be using the online platform Zoom for these teleconferences. In short, Zoom is an application that allows a host to invite multiple individuals to attend a video call.
I will be setting up a 15 minute call with you in order to test Zoom on your individual device and explain Zoom features prior to the April 6th meetings.
Please reply to this email with your availability over the next two weeks for a test call. If you have used Zoom before, I will set up the call through Zoom and it will send a link to your email. At the scheduled call time, you will click the link and it will direct you to the Zoom meeting, where I will work with you to ensure that both your video and audio features are enabled for the upcoming meetings. If this will be your first time using Zoom, please let me know and provide me with the best phone number at which to reach you. I will call you at the scheduled time so that we can run through the process of attending a Zoom meeting from start to finish.
During the upcoming meetings, the video function and audio function should be switched to on so that we can all hear and see each other during the call. Please ensure that your device is equipped with speakers, a microphone, and a webcam (these are all usually built-in to most laptops and computers).
Although I will be demonstrating how to use Zoom during our test call, here are some video tutorials from Zoom explaining the platform and features for your reference:
• This video provides instructions for joining a Zoom call for the first time:https://www.youtube.com/embed/vFhAEoCF7jg?rel=0&autoplay=1&cc_load_policy=1.
• This video explains how to use basic audio and video controls during a Zoom call:https://www.youtube.com/embed/4w_pRMBEALE?rel=0&autoplay=1&cc_load_policy=1.
Additionally, here is a link to Zoom’s operating system and browser requirements:https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-Requirements-for-PC-Mac-and-Linux.Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns during this process!
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