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Slack at UMD – Frequently Asked Questions

This document outlines a comprehensive FAQ structure for university Slack usage, covering nine key areas: getting started, account management, channels and communication, etiquette and best practices, integrations and apps, privacy and security, support and troubleshooting, mobile usage, and academic use. It addresses common questions and concerns that students, faculty, and staff may have when using Slack in an educational environment, providing a framework for clear communication of policies, procedures, and best practices.

Getting Started

Is there an official University of Maryland Slack workspace?

There is no "official" University of Maryland Slack workspace. In fact, Slack works best when used at the team level (i.e. research group, class, unit).

Additionally, UMD does not currently have an enterprise subscription to Slack and there are no enterprise-wide controls in place to manage Slack usage on campus. In the future this may change, but for now you are free to use Slack as desired.

Can I use my personal email to sign up for Slack?

Faculty and Staff should use their @umd.edu email to sign up for Slack.

Students should use their @terpmail.umd.edu to sign up for Slack when used in an official capacity (e.g. as part of a class).

Student clubs and other non-official entities are free to use whichever email they feel most comfortable with.

How do I download the Slack app?

Slack's download page has links to the Slack app for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Paid Slack subscriptions at UMD

You can upgrade your workspace to a paid Slack plan (we suggest you do if adoption increases!) using a PCard. Here's how to do that.

  1. Ensure you already have a Slack workspace set up, and whomever is in charge of purchasing for your unit has Owner-level access to your Slack workspace. As of right now, Slack subscriptions are purchased using a PCard. We recommend monthly billing.
  2. Apply for a Slack for Education discount here. Slack's official help doc on this is here.
    1. Slack for EDU is an 85% discount off of list price. 
    2. You'll need the UMD tax exemption certificate as part of the application process.
  3. Once approved, have your business officer / individual with a PCard upgrade your subscription from the billing area of Slack.
    1. Try the Pro plan first, it's probably sufficient for your needs.

Account Management

How do I log in? How do I reset my password?

Since we don't currently have an enterprise deployment of Slack, you can log in using an email address & password.

To reset your password, follow Slack's password reset instructions.

What happens when I leave the University?

Since we don't currently have an enterprise deployment of Slack, when you leave the University your access to Slack will remain until a workspace admin or owner changes your access.

Tip: We recommend Slack workspace admins & owners keep their list of users up to date. For students who leave the University, we recommend deactivating their user account two semesters after they have left (in accordance with standard policy).

What should I do if I'm leaving the University?

We recommend you get in touch with your Slack workspace admin or owner and ask about their policy. Here's how to find your workspace owners and admins.

Can I remain in a Slack workspace after graduation?

We recommend you get in touch with your Slack workspace admin or owner and ask about their policy. Here's how to find your workspace owners and admins.

How do I update my profile?

Here's Slack's help doc on how to edit your profile. Keep in mind that workspace admins and owners have control over some profile fields.

Channels and Communication

What channels should I join in my workspace?

Typically you'll be placed in the #general channel or a few other channels when you join a workspace. These initial channels are set by your Slack workspace admin or owner. If you're not sure, reach out to them and ask.

How do I create a new channel?

Check out Slack's help doc on how to create a new channel. Keep in mind that workspace admins and owners can restrict channel creation if desired.

What's the difference between public and private channels?

A public channel can be joined by anyone in your Slack workspace.

A private channel requires an existing member to invite you to that channel.

How do I send a direct message to someone?

At the bottom of the sidebar, you'll see a list of individual people you can message. If you don't see someone in this list, click the + icon next to Direct messages to create a new direct message.

Tip: You can also use Ctrl+K or Cmd+K to bring up the command palette, type someones name, and hit enter to start a direct message with them.

Etiquette and Best Practices

What are the University's guidelines for communication on Slack?

There are no official guidelines, however here's what EIT recommends:

  • When Slack is being used in an official capacity (e.g. for an administrative unit, a class, or a research group): We suggest you keep communication mostly professional. Slack messages are considered public information under the Maryland Public Information Act and could be subject to disclosure in a PIA request. Generally, you should follow the University of Maryland Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources
  • When Slack is being used in an unofficial capacity (e.g. for a student club) and account email addresses do not end in @umd.edu: We still suggest you keep communication on topic for your use case, however it's acceptable to treat it as more of an instant messaging platform in this case. Just be sure you understand Slack's terms of service and privacy policy to understand how your data is handled.

Tip: In the future if the University were to enter into an agreement with Slack to purchase an enterprise subscription, all communication would be subject to the negotiated terms for workspaces created as part of the University's subscription and UMD policy. 

How quickly am I expected to respond to messages?

This largely depends on the culture of your team. If you're not sure, ask a workspace owner or admin.

When should I use @channel or @here mentions?

This largely depends on the culture of your team, however EIT recommends you use them sparingly, as they can be noisy. If you're not sure, ask a workspace owner or admin. 

Are there any restrictions on sharing files or information?

See the question above, What are the University's guidelines for communication on Slack?

Integrations and Apps

Which Slack integrations are available for use?

At the moment, all of them! Here are EIT's recommended best practices for integrations and apps.

Tip: In the future if the University were to enter into an agreement with Slack to purchase an enterprise subscription, restrictions could be placed on Slack integrations and apps.

How do I connect my University Google account to Slack?

For log in via Google, just click the Log in with Google button. Some paid Slack workspaces may require Log in with Google.

For Google Drive and Google Calendar integrations, check out their respective pages.

Can I install third-party apps in our Slack workspace?

At the moment, yes!

Tip: In the future if the University were to enter into an agreement with Slack to purchase an enterprise subscription, restrictions could be placed on Slack integrations and apps.

How do I use the [specific custom app] developed for the University community?

For EIT, we'll publish an ask.eng article for each custom app we've built for the University community. That article will contain contact information for the team that maintains that respective app. Feel free to use that contact information to get in touch with them!

For the rest of campus, we'd suggest looking around for contact information regarding the specific app in question. If in doubt, you can always reach out to the IT Service Desk via itsupport@umd.edu.

Privacy and Security

Who can see my messages and shared files?

For public Slack channels, anyone in the workspace.

For private Slack channels or direct messages, only people in those private channels or direct messages. Under normal circumstances, not even owners or admins can see messages in private channels or direct messages.

Tip: Workspace owners and admins on paid Slack plans have the ability to request Slack enable a compliance export feature that allows them to export all messages in a Slack workspace, including those in private channels. If this feature is enabled, Slack will notify all users in the workspace to make them aware this feature has been enabled.

Is it safe to discuss sensitive research topics on Slack?

As the University does not currently have an enterprise-wide Slack agreement in place, EIT recommends that particularly sensitive research topics are not discussed on Slack. For most research, it should be okay to discuss those topics in Slack.

How long are messages and files retained?

This setting can be customized for each individual Slack workspace. Ask your Slack workspace owner or admin what the retention policy is for your workspace.

Tip: In the future if the University were to enter into an agreement with Slack to purchase an enterprise subscription, retention policies may be set at the campus level.

Tip: Slack will notify all workspace users if an owner or admin changes the default retention policy (which is to keep all messages indefinitely).

What should I do if I accidentally share sensitive information?

If possible, delete the message containing the information as soon as you are aware.

Tip: Slack owners and admins can customize the deletion policy in your workspace. If you do not see a delete option, that feature may not be enabled. Contact your Slack workspace owner or admin for help in this situation.

Support and Troubleshooting

Who do I contact for Slack-related technical issues?

Your first line of support should be your Slack workspace owner or admin. If they aren't able to answer your question, feel free to reach out to the Engineering Digital Service team via eds@umd.edu for more help.

How do I report inappropriate behavior on Slack?

You should report inappropriate behavior on Slack to your workspace owner or admin.

Where can I find additional resources for using Slack effectively?

Here's some tailored content EIT has put together for Slack in the university environment:

Slack's help center can also be a great place to find additional information on how to use Slack effectively.

Can I suggest new features or integrations for our Slack workspace?

Absolutely! Your first point of contact should be your Slack workspace owner or admin. If you have ideas that could benefit the entire University community, feel free to reach out to the Engineering Digital Service team via eds@umd.edu as well.

Mobile Usage

Can I access Slack on my personal mobile device?

Yes! Head to Slack's downloads page for the link to the relevant app for your device.

How do I manage notifications on my mobile device?

EIT recommends you have notifications at the system level turned on for Slack. To manage your Slack notification preferences, see this Slack help doc.

Are there any security requirements for mobile access?

Here is Slack's help doc on the requirements for their desktop and mobile apps.

Tip: In the future if the University were to enter into an agreement with Slack to purchase an enterprise subscription, additional requirements or restrictions could be set by enterprise policy.



Keywordsslack university faq getting-started account-management channels communication etiquette best-practices integrations apps privacy security support troubleshooting mobile-usage academic-use workspace-access password-reset profile-management channel-creation direct-messaging professional-communication response-times file-sharing google-integration third-party-apps custom-apps data-retention sensitive-information technical-support inappropriate-behavior mobile-security two-factor-authentication group-projects office-hours learning-management-system online-courses   Doc ID142692
OwnerNicholas B.GroupUMD Engineering IT
Created2024-09-27 12:40:17Updated2024-09-27 13:58:51
SitesUniversity of Maryland Engineering IT
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