Federal law guides the University to verify that a student who registers in a “distance education or correspondence education course” is the same student who participates in and completes the course and receives academic credit.

UConn requires that instructors of all Distance Education course sections ensure that students who register in these courses are the same students who participate in and complete the course activities and assessments and receive academic credit. Distance Education courses are currently defined by the Registrar as Online Synchronous (OS), Online Asynchronous (OA), and Online Blended (OB).

Instructors must use two methods of student authentication that meet the standards of NECHE Accreditation and FERPA (see below). The methods used in a course must be specified on the course syllabus (see language at bottom of page).

Method 1: NET ID AND PASSWORD REQUIRED

This is the minimum required for OS, OA, and OB courses.

Students use their NetID and password to access course activities, content, and assessments. For this to count as one of the two required methods, instructors must use HuskyCT as the primary repository and access point for course content, assessment, and activities, and students must use their NetID and password to securely access the HuskyCT site.

Method 2: CHOOSE AMONG THE OPTIONS BELOW

Faculty teaching OS, OA, and OB courses MUST choose at least ONE additional authentication method from the table below.

Instructors must also employ a second student authentication method from the list below or an alternative method that has been approved by the Provost’s Office and UConn eCampus:

Though not required, we strongly recommend documenting any authentication and identity verification plans. If you will be teaching an OS, OA, or OB course for the first time, you can complete a UConn Student Authentication Plan for Distance Learning and save a copy to your HuskyCT site. Remember to note all changes in your syllabus.

Official student ID photos found in the Student Admin roster tool can be used to confirm the identity of students participating in class activities and assessments. Student photo submission through the One Card office includes a process of verifying the student photo against a government-issued ID making the roster photo valid for student authentication. If faculty will use the roster photos in their authentication process, they should request that all students ensure they have a photo submitted through the One Card office by following the directions here: https://onecard.uconn.edu/the-one-card/online-photo-submission/. All students, regardless of standing and campus have been encouraged to follow these steps prior to the start of the Spring semester. Acceptable IDs for the StudentAdmin upload include State Issued Driver’s License, State Identification Card, Military Identification Card, Passport/Visa, Permanent Residence Card

If students have not uploaded photos or faculty have difficulty viewing or comparing the roster photos in Student Admin, faculty may request that students meet with them and display an acceptable government ID in a private online video conference. Acceptable IDs in these cases include state-issued Driver’s License, State Identification Card, Military Identification Card, Passport/Visa, Permanent Residence Card, and UConn Student ID.

There can be no additional cost to students in order to complete Authentication processes.

“The University of Connecticut is required to verify the identity of students who participate in distance learning or online courses and to establish that students who register in these courses are the same students who participate in and complete the course activities and assessments and receive academic credit. Verification and authentication of student identity in this course will include:

[Method 1 and Method 2].

Students who do not complete the above-required authentication steps may be denied access to the course and given an incomplete. Students could lose credit if faculty cannot confirm the identity of the student enrolled in the course and completing activities and assessments.”

What if you suspect academic misconduct?  Follow the University’s respective procedures:

• Undergraduate Procedures: https://community.uconn.edu/academic-misconduct/
• Graduate Procedures: https://grad.uconn.edu/faculty-staff-resources/advising-mentoring/scholarly-misconduct/

• Respondus Lockdown with Monitor
• Remote In-Person Proctoring for Online Courses
• UConn Student Authentication Plan in the Event of Disruption
• Accessing Class Rosters
• Testing and Proctoring Options (from UConn Educational Technologies)

Other

• Respondus Lockdown with Monitor Review Process (video)