Talks surrounding the video conferencing software used at Keene State College have finally been brought up.
Whether the school should continue to use Zoom or switch exclusively to Microsoft Teams has been a recent topic of conversation. The editors of The Equinox feel this discussion is long overdue.
Students at Keene State College receive a Microsoft 365 suite paid plan upon entering the college. This includes Microsoft Teams, among the other applications used by students. We think it does not make sense for students to have Zoom accounts paid for on top of what is already made available to them.
We recognize switching exclusively to Microsoft Teams might not be an easy change. Professors and students most likely feel more comfortable using Zoom after needing to use it during the COVID-19 pandemic and the years following. Very few changes are simple, but when it comes to making the switch, going from Zoom to Microsoft Teams is minuscule.
Some professors might think the switch is too big for them and will refuse to make it. We think these professors have the right to use Zoom if they want, but Keene State College should not be burdened with having to pay for everyone to have a Zoom account. It has gotten rarer for classes to even use video conferencing so the difference would be negligible.
However, we recognize the possibility of Zoom leaving its footprint on Keene State College and not going away completely. With this in mind, we suggest the college keep a handful of accounts for large-scale video conferences to make it easier for outside viewers to join and accounts upon request.
We do not see how this was not thought of sooner. It is a pain to make budget cuts, but when it is necessary the smallest things should be thought of first. Zoom has not been relevant for a long time so if a budget cut has to be made it should start with that.
Some people might believe that Zoom is a better platform than Microsoft Teams. We believe the differences between the two platforms are barely noticeable. The meetings conducted on either platform are not going to be very long and will not require much so it is rather insignificant to worry about small details. The college should focus on the potential progress that could be made instead of keeping minor things around because they have been there for a while.
We feel Keene State College saving money should be the biggest focus of the discussion. Keeping Zoom around for the sake of tradition and nothing else will only hinder the progress that could be made with the money saved.
The popularity of Zoom is dwindling and we think most people will stop caring if the decision to remove it goes into effect. Many people might care at the beginning, but with most dead traditions, few people care once it is done away with.
We think the benefits of leaving Zoom behind outweigh the benefits of keeping Zoom. The discussion to get rid of it might be late, but it is better to have the discussions late than to never have them at all. We believe getting rid of Zoom is the best option for the progress of the college. Keene State College does not need to be burdened with a certain video-calling platform for the sake of tradition alone
