This message to all faculty and instructional staff has been approved by Dr. Sally McRorie, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The privacy and security of data is vital to every operation within our university. With the dramatic increase in our reliance on remote and online teaching tools, we have a legal and ethical responsibility to safeguard the sensitive information entrusted to us by our students, faculty, and staff. The university provides a wide range of third-party technology applications that have been reviewed by our Office of the General Counsel and the Information Security & Privacy Office. Applications with insufficient privacy, security, and FERPA protections must be avoided in remote and online instruction.
The university has no agreement in place with applications like Facebook, GroupMe, Discord, or YouTube, and they are not to be used for storing or distributing FSU academic data or student information. Using applications that have not been approved through university channels puts sensitive and confidential data at risk of unauthorized collection, sharing, and loss. Without a formal agreement between the university and a third-party technology provider, FSU has limited options in the event of a security breach, loss of data, or the unlawful sharing of university-owned content. For platforms based outside of the US, additional legal challenges apply. Therefore, it is essential that you utilize only university-approved or supported resources.
What applications are okay to use for instruction?
Academic Technologies via Canvas. All technologies integrated within Canvas are under formal agreement with the university to ensure they are FERPA-compliant and that appropriate protections are in place. They are also fully supported by the ODL Technical Support team. See External Apps Supported in FSU’s Canvas for a complete list of supported and approved applications.
If you are interested in an academic technology application not currently supported, contact the Office of Distance Learning to submit a request. We will be happy to initiate a process for approval to ensure the vendor is willing to abide by the university’s terms for use.
ITS-Supported Applications. In addition to academic technologies, the university provides a full range of applications that have been approved by the Information Security & Privacy Office. The ITS Service Desk provides full technology support for these applications. We encourage you to visit the ITS Service Catalog or contact the ITS Service Desk for a complete list.