Audio recording lectures
ODE approves audio record lectures as a reasonable accommodation. When this accommodation is approved, students may use their smartphones, computer software, such as Genio (formerly Glean), tablets, digital recorders, and other electronic devices.
Approved students must inform faculty in advance that they intend to audio record the class. Faculty may require that the student complete a recording agreement with them.
- The University procedure for audio recording lectures (PDF) (by the University Legal Counsel).
- Suggested Classroom Recording Contract form (Word).
Recording agreement for students
Students approved to record classroom sessions as a reasonable accommodation must agree to the following:
Academic Use Only
Students understand that recordings are solely for their academic benefit, as recommended by ODE.
Instructor Notification
Students must provide faculty with their accommodation letter identifying recording as an approved accommodation before recording any lectures, discussions, or classroom activities.
Class Notification & Privacy
Students understand that faculty must inform the class that recording will take place. Faculty will also make reasonable efforts to protect the privacy of the student approved for recording.
No Sharing with Other Students
Students will not share recordings with any other student, whether or not they are enrolled in the class, without the instructor’s permission.
No External Distribution
Students will not share recordings with any other person, platform, or medium without the instructor’s permission.
Intellectual Property & Legal Compliance
Students understand that recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor. Unauthorized sharing violates the UM Student Code of Conduct, University Policy, and applicable copyright laws.
End-of-Term Deletion
At the instructor’s request, students will delete or destroy all recordings at the end of the academic term.
Notable points
For students
- Students must inform faculty promptly that they are requesting an accommodation to record the class sessions.
- Students complete the Classroom Recording Contract form (Word) and email the form to faculty.
For faculty
- Faculty can require the student to use the Classroom Recording Contract to protect faculty’s proprietary interest in their classroom lectures.
- Faculty should inform the other students in the class that audio or video recordings of classroom activity will be made before any recording takes place. However, faculty must make reasonable efforts to protect the privacy of the student requesting the accommodations.
- If faculty are concerned that recording the class will fundamentally alter the classroom experience or another extenuating circumstance exists, they should contact student's access consultant to discuss other means of providing the accommodation.
- Students may use a software tool, Genio (formerly Glean), for recording lectures. Faculty with concerns about intellectual property rights, data security, and privacy protection should refer to information provided by UM IT (PDF).