Most of The University of Chicago and UChicago Medicine instructors, students, and staff who need to set up a Zoom account can claim one automatically at the Zoom Web Conferencing website. There are some known exceptions to this claiming process, but staff are available to assist with handling these exceptions in a timely manner.
Click on a topic to learn more about Zoom.
Overview
Zoom is the University of Chicago's audio, web, and video conferencing platform. Zoom is offered to faculty, students, and staff as an innovative conferencing solution to bring participants from different locations together. Its virtual meeting capacity can allow up to 500 participants to join in a meeting at one time. Zoom is easy to use, and it provides high-quality audio and video output. It is also accessible on your smartphone and other mobile devices using Zoom Mobile Apps.
Zoom is safe for use even when protecting Personal Health Information (PHI) is a concern. The University's Zoom Agreement certifies that University of Chicago Medicine patient and practitioner PHI data are properly protected. It also comes with the approval of the University of Chicago Medicine Security team and the Office of Legal Counsel. If you have concerns or questions, contact IT Services.
Request a Zoom Account
Claim Your Account
To claim a new Zoom account, follow the instructions below.
- Go to your Zoom sign-in website.
- Click Sign In.
- Enter your CNetID and password, then complete two-factor authentication. if prompted. Note: UChicago Medicine users who do not have a CNetID may log in using your UCHADID.
- Zoom will auto-generate an account for you. You will be redirected to your Zoom profile page to schedule and host meetings, and customize your settings.
Group Accounts
If you need a group account, submit the request form to obtain a UChicago Zoom account. Because all faculty, staff, and students can automatically claim Zoom accounts, consider if you still have a need for a group account before submitting the form. You will need to provide an FAS number to claim a group account.
Note: UChicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Division (BSD) users are required to take a HIPPA training class. See the UChicago web conferencing website for details.
Access Zoom
You can access Zoom via a browser, desktop client, mobile device, and Microsoft Outlook. To install apps to your computer, administrator rights may be required. Please contact IT Services (ITS for ITS-supported computers or your departmental IT support for assistance.
The following sign-in instructions refer to accessing Zoom through your browser from the UChicago Staff Zoom website (uchicago.zoom.us) but will work for any of the other websites listed below.
- Select your Zoom sign-in website to log in.
- Select Sign In.
- Enter your CNetID and password, and complete the two-factor authentication process if prompted.
Note: The uchicagogroup.zoom.us, ucmedicinegroup.zoom.us, and chicagoboothgroup.zoom.us websites do not require two-factor authentication. Please read Sign in to a Group Zoom Account for login instructions for this website.
- After signing in, you will land on your personal Profile page where you will find your account information and additional options to choose from.
- If you would like to join a meeting in progress or immediately start an impromptu meeting, click the Join A Meeting or Host A Meeting option located at the right of your Profile page.
The preferred method for using Zoom is the Zoom Client for Meetings app which will allow you to run Zoom from your computer.
To install the Zoom Client for Meetings and the Zoom Plugin for Microsoft Outlook on your computer, you will need administrator rights. Please contact IT Services for IT Services-supported computers or your departmental IT support group for assistance with downloading the apps.
Troubleshooting
It is a common issue for new Zoom accounts to be denied access to the UChicago Zoom services. The cause of this issue is that your current CNetID has been used to create a Zoom account in the past. This is often because the email associated with your CNetID has been used to create a free account in the past. The solution to this is to delete your old account. Once this free account has been deleted, try to create a University Zoom account again, the system should now be able to create your UChicago Zoom account.
UChicago Remote Access Resources
Detailed information on the latest updates for Zoom can be found in the articles listed below.
Instructors and teaching assistants: teachingremotely.uchicago.edu
Students: learningremotely.uchicago.edu
Zoom Related Resources
Detailed information on installing the desktop/laptop app, scheduling meetings, Zoom functionality, and frequently asked questions are located in the articles listed below.
Support
Please contact IT Services for any questions you may have.