Recommendations for Staff Working Remotely

Please read the Getting Started section before proceeding

When to Work Remotely

All managers are encouraged to provide opportunities for employees to work remotely when possible, while keeping their units open for business.

  • You may take your work laptop home for work purposes. Work desktops will not connect from home.
  • If your monitor is on a desktop stand, not a movable arm, you may take it home as well.

We have a very limited pool of loaner laptops, with priority going to faculty for teaching purposes. Email RossITSupport@umich.edu for assistance.

You may also use your own computer and monitor at home.

To ensure security, please connect to University resources using the VPN (Virtual Private Network).

Purchasing equipment for working from home

If you or your department need to purchase equipment in order to work from home please order from our preferred standard equipment list at the ITS Tech Shop. If stock is limited, and you have authorization from your department to order your own equipment for later reimbursement from your department, please look for comparable models with a minimum of 16GB of RAM.

Borrowing equipment from Ross IT

We have a limited pool of loaner equipment for Ross employees. Contact the Ross Helpdesk at RossITSupport@umich.edu for assistance.

How to work remotely

Use the VPN:For security, connect to the university network via VPN. This is required for shared drive access.
Access your files:Google Drive/Docs/Sheets: Log in to drive.google.com using your university login.   Dropbox at U-M: Log in to dropbox.umich.edu using your university login Ross Shared Drives You must use the VPN (Virtual Private Network) to connect to UM. Getting Started with VPN From here, the steps will vary depending on how your computer is set up. Contact the Ross Helpdesk (RossITSupport@umich.edu) for assistance.
Chat with people:Use Google Meet to chat with individuals and groups.
Meet face-to-face online:Use Zoom to schedule and attend meetings with audio, video and content sharing. Google Meet, a G Suite videoconferencing service, offers instant meetings in your web browser.
Get your University voicemail:You can access your university voicemail inbox from any phone, including your mobile device. Please do not forward your university phone to a personal or home telephone number. This feature is reserved for critical operations. Instead, please keep your MCommunity profile updated with your preferred contact methods.
General tips for collaborating and communicating remotely:Gather cell or home phone numbers for key team members. Most smartphones are able to have a conference call with 3 to 5 parties. Conduct test meetings and/or other activities if you anticipate the need to meet remotely.

Web/Video Conference Solutions

U-M ITS VIDEOCONFERENCING TOOL COMPARISON

Product SupportHost a MeetingTips for hosting a meetingJoin a MeetingTips for joining a meeting
Zoom:Zoom Product SupportHost a Zoom MeetingReview how to host a Zoom Meeting for instructions on hosting a Zoom meeting.Join a Zoom MeetingEnter the Meeting ID provided to you from the meeting organizer
Google Meet:Google Meet SupportHost a Google MeetGetting Started with Google MeetJoin a Google MeetClick on Google Meet URL (link) from email or Canvas link.
Webex:Webex Product SupportHost a Webex Meeting
(license needed)
Ensure you have the Webex app installed on your device first. If you do not have the app installed, consult this page to download and install the Webex Desktop App.

How to start a Webex Meeting
Join a Webex MeetingClick on the meeting invite link from your Calendar app.

Screen Capture/Recording Solutions

Product SupportTips for screen recordingSave screen recordingTips for sharing screen recordings
Kaltura:Kaltura Product SupportCapture and Recording OptionsSave Kaltura screen recordingsHow to post Kaltura screen recordings

Last Updated on November 17, 2022