Implementation of Respondus LockDown Browser

February 23, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

This morning’s email from EVC Cruz (see below) notified the presidents and provosts of an agreement for the university to secure “the Respondus LockDown Browser™ as an online proctoring solution.” I have removed only two specific requests to the presidents (related to appointing representatives) from what is pasted below. In addition, I have highlighted two paragraphs that have been circulated before containing important information related to using proctoring software.

The college has designated Kevin Wolff as “Campus Coordinator” and me as the “Campus Sponsor.” Given that we know little more about all of this than any of you, I suggest waiting a few days before asking us questions about it.

Note: questions have arisen about using other lockdown proctoring systems. If the system is to be purchased, a review of the terms and conditions will take place automatically as part of the process leading to a PO. If there is a desire to use software or services that are not purchased, there are still terms and conditions that the vendor requires us to accept, even if it is a click-through agreement. Those need to be submitted to our legal affairs office (to Lisa Hochstadt or Olga Dais) for consultation with legal affairs at CUNY central.

Best wishes,

Dennis Slavin, PhD
Associate Provost and Assistant Vice President
Baruch College, CUNY
dennis.slavin@baruch.cuny.edu
https://provost.baruch.cuny.edu/about-us/leadership/

From: José Luis Cruz <JoseLuis.Cruz@cuny.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2021 8:48 AM
Subject: Request for Designees: Implementation of Respondus LockDown Browser

Dear Presidents and Provosts,

I am pleased to report that the University has secured the Respondus LockDown Browser™ as an online proctoring solution and is working hard to have this solution enabled and accessible for use by faculty and students by mid March 2021.

The decision to implement the Respondus LockDown Browser™ balances the safety of our campus communities, the data privacy issues of our students, and the integrity of our academic programs per the recommendations of our system-wide task force charged to provide forward-looking recommendations on remote proctoring solutions in 2020. Last Fall, both CUNY and SUNY came together to jointly negotiate the acquisition of a solution that would meet these standards, and ultimately address the most fundamental needs of faculty and students at both universities.

Respondus LockDown Browser™ is a customized browser that increases the security of test delivery in Blackboard. When students use Respondus LockDown Browser™ to access an exam, they are unable to print, copy, go to another URL, or access other applications. Once an assessment is started, students are locked into it until it’s submitted for grading. For a complete list of features, visit the Respondus web site at https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/. The Lockdown Browser does not modify the browser on the student’s computer, but rather installs a separate program that displays a custom browser when it is started. CUNY will not be using a webcam with LockDown Browser real-time viewing or recording (the webcam feature is sometimes referred to as “Respondus Monitor.”).

The implementation timeline follows:

Campus sponsors and campus coordinators identified by March 2, 2021
Guides and training documents distributed by March 9, 2021
Training and testing conducted by March 15, 2021
Go Live scheduled for March 19, 2021

Two campus representatives

The Campus Sponsor will be responsible for:
- Overseeing the implementation
- Serving as the primary contact for faculty and staff
- Identifying the Campus Coordinator (could be the Bb Administrator)
- Notifying the Campus Registrar or Scheduler about which courses will use the proctoring tool; the Registrar or Scheduler will be responsible for assigning the CUNYfirst course attribute to the courses that will use the tool

The Campus Coordinator will be responsible for:
- Working with the Campus Blackboard Administrator to provide assistance and support to the faculty and students who use the Respondus LockDown Browser™
- Working with the CIS Technical Team and attending weekly team meetings during the implementation
- Reviewing CUNY’s documentation on the Respondus LockDown Browser™ – FAQs, Student and Instructor’s Training Guides – and providing feedback
- Attending the training session offered by the Respondus Trainer (date TBD)
- Testing, along with the Blackboard Administrator, the installation of Respondus LockDown Browser™ on the Bb Test site, reporting findings, and validating that issues have been resolved
- Working with campus faculty, distributing the documentation, providing training
- Collaborating with the Campus Academic Integrity Officer on issues related to Respondus LockDown Browser™
- Providing ongoing support to faculty and students who are using Respondus LockDown Browser™
- Submitting CRMs to CIS to report any application issues which will be submitted to Respondus Support Services for resolutions

Finally, per previous guidance, please note that the online proctoring tool may only be required if the course description or course syllabus noted that one might be used, allowing the student to make an informed decision about enrolling in that course. No other student can be compelled to agree to the terms and conditions of proctoring solutions procured by the University, Colleges, Programs, and/or those which may be bundled in with specific textbooks. When in doubt, please refer to the following guidance from our Office of General Counsel regarding this matter:

The Office of Legal Affairs (OGC) has reviewed the Terms and Conditions of several online testing application services and it is OGC’s guidance that faculty cannot compel students to accept the corresponding tools’ “Terms and Conditions” and that in the event students do not accept the terms, faculty must provide students reasonable assessment accommodations to demonstrate they meet the course learning requirements.

As part of the communications roll-out, the University will develop an FAQ page with additional information on the Respondus LockDown Browser™ and has organized online resources regarding alternative forms of student assessment. Examples of alternative methods of assessment include papers, presentations, annotations, or e-portfolios.

More information will be forthcoming.

All the best,

—

José Luis Cruz, Ph.D.

Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost

The City University of New York