Zoom Cloud Recording Retention Policy Changes

Zoom recordings have preset retention periods

Zoom app on a phone

This message was distributed to the Rice community on February 25, 2021.

Dear Rice Community:

This is a reminder that effective February 28, 2021, an updated retention policy for recordings stored in Zoom cloud will go into effect.

As we previously communicated, Rice University is awarded limited Zoom cloud storage with its campus site license.  Upon assessment of the potential financial impact of increasing Zoom cloud storage consumption, the Information Technology Executive Committee, along with the University Committee on Information Technology and OIT, have agreed to the following Zoom retention policy changes:

  • Academic class recordings stored in the Zoom cloud will be deleted 60 days from the official last day of each semester. Beginning March 1st, Zoom recordings from spring, summer, and fall 2020 academic classes will be deleted from Zoom cloud storage.
  • Non-academic recordings stored in the Zoom cloud will be deleted 9 months after the recording date.
  • Deleted recordings will be stored in the Zoom trash for 30 days and can only be retrieved and downloaded by the meeting host.
  • After 30 days, the recordings are permanently removed and will no longer be accessible. The meeting host will receive a notification 7 days prior to the recording being permanently deleted. This is the meeting host’s final opportunity to download and store the recording in an alternative location.

Please note it is the responsibility of the meeting host to ensure all recordings are retained in accordance with university guidelines and compliance requirements, including FERPA: https://registrar.rice.edu/facstaff/ferpa_FAQs/

For more information on downloading recordings from Zoom cloud, refer to: https://kb.rice.edu/107341. If you need assistance, contact the OIT Help Desk via email: helpdesk@rice.edu or the web form: https://oit.rice.edu/request-help.

Marc Cougle

Senior Director, IT - Infrastructure and Operations

Office of Information Technology

Rice University