Purpose

The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure is to provide information about Video Services Department’s Videoconferencing Support Unit and to provide procedures for patrons requesting services from this Unit.

Scope

The Videoconferencing Unit of the Department of Video Services provides coordination and technical support for two-way live videoconferencing on the UTPA campus. In this document, instructors and administrators can learn how to utilize our videoconferencing facilities and how to make arrangements to teach a class to a remote site via videoconferencing or conduct a meeting with a participant in a distant location.

Prerequisites

To request services from the Videoconferencing Unit of Video Services Department, requestor must be a faculty member or staff member currently employed by the university. The service requested must be related to the mission of the department which is to support faculty, staff and students who use video technology on campus. It is required that requests be submitted to Video Services Department at least two weeks prior to the date of the event. This allows for Video Services staff to make contact with remote site and verify connectivity or make proper arrangements to ensure a successful connection

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the requestor to follow the procedures listed below.

Procedure

1. Send an email to rsaenz1@utpa.edu requesting video network resources a minimum of two weeks prior to the event. Email should include the following information:

   • Title of event/course
   • Date
   • Time
   • Start/end dates
   • Holidays observed
   • Room location you would like to use at UTPA campus
   • UTPA faculty member name
   • Remote site(s)
   • Name and phone number of contact person at remote site
   • Number of participants both on campus and at remote site (if known)
2. Receive confirmation from Video Services on the scheduling of your class or conference.
3. Notify rsaenz1@utpa.edu of any cancellations or schedule modifications.

References

 Log onto our Video Services Web Site for more details and a list of videoconference sites on campus and a list of pointers for teaching via Interactive Video. http://portal.utpa.edu/portal/page/portal/utpa_main/dit_home/video_home/vs_videoconf

 Additionally, this web site contains a document entitled: “STRATEGIES FOR ADMINISTERING A DISTANCE LEARNING INTERACTIVE TELEVISION COURSE”

Definitions

Videoconferencing at UTPA - Every day of the semester, classes are taught on the UTPA campus and simultaneously transmitted via two-way video to students at remote locations. In addition, professors at other higher learning institutions transmit their lectures (live) to students on the UTPA campus via two-way video.

Video Network Control Room - the hub of UTPA's Interactive Video Network. This facility provides the interconnectivity between videoconferencing rooms throughout campus and other videoconferencing sites at locations throughout the globe.

Video CODEC - Video CODEC is the electronic appliances that compress/decompress analog video signals into digital information so that those signals may be transmitted to a remote site via telecommunication lines.