Using Virtual Conference Rooms and Polycoms

NOTE: Each Virtual Conference Room (VCR) can handle 15 incoming calls.

Scheduling a virtual conference room:

• Open Microsoft Outlook, click the square with the plus in it next to Public Folders
  (If you don't see the public folders directory, click on the folder located under "Notes" and it will open the public folders)
• Click the square with the plus in it next to All Public Folders
• Click the square with the plus in it next to Virtual Conference Room Folders
• Click on one of the Virtual Conference Room calendars to see if the time slot your meeting requires is available.
• Once you have found a calendar with the time slot, make a new appointment.
• In the subject line, type the title of the meeting.
• In the location line, type the VCR number to be used for this meeting from the following: 7420, 7421, 7422, or 7423. (This number is located at the end of the calendar title).
• Include your name and contact information in the location slot.
• You can invite attendees through the calendar, so that you do not have to type the information twice.

Using a virtual conference room:

• Participants calling on campus should dial the extension number reserved for your VCR meeting at the time the meeting is scheduled to begin.
• Participants calling off campus should dial RCC's toll free telephone number and then dial the extension number reserved for your VCR meeting at the time the meeting is scheduled to begin.

How to set up a virtual conference room call:

• The person requesting the VCR number will notify the other participants of the extension assigned for the meeting.
• Jackson County callers off campus will dial 541-245- and the extension reserved for the VCR meeting.
  Josephine County callers off campus will dial 541-956- and the extension reserved for the VCR meeting.
• Callers who are not in the Jackson or Josephine calling area should dial 1-800-411-6508 and then the extension reserved for the VCR meeting.
• Outside Oregon dial 1-541-956-7500 or 1-541-245-7500. Note: The 800 number will only work within the state of Oregon.

Additional information:

When a participant is using a college telephone to connect to a VCR conference call, any incoming calls received on the second line of that telephone will beep and the participants in the VCR may hear the beeping.

One participant, (possibly the chairperson of the meeting) can lock the line to incoming calls. For more information on this feature, contact the communications technician at Ext. 7277.

When participants call the VCR, a sound will chime that is heard by all participants already in the VCR. If you are the first one there, you will not here anything accept a tone at first.

We suggest participants calling a VCR use their handsets to avoid a tunnel sound, which occurs when using the speakerphone feature.

In the VCR, you can hear everyone simultaneously. The sound from the other participants does not cut-in and out as when you are using the Polycom telephones. This does not mean you cannot use a Polycom telephone as one of the 15 incoming calls to the VCR; however, please be aware that you will not have the same clarity as you would if all the participants use the telephone's handset.

All participants must call into a VCR. No calls can be made from a VCR.

Using a Polycom:

Polycom is a conferencing product similar to a telephone using audio frequencies. Some models incorporate video. The 3- line model allows you to conference all three lines, and yourself, into an unassisted 4-way conference call right from your desktop, without the need for a pre-arranged conference bridge or a virtual conference room.

How to schedule a Polycom:

• Polycoms are scheduled through the Instructional Media Services office. For those who need to schedule a meeting room, a virtual conference room, and a Polycom, we suggest you schedule them simultaneously.
• Polycoms that are permanently in meeting rooms do not need to be reserved. Schedule your equipment needs at the media centers at least 24 hours before needed. To reserve a Polycom call:
  
• Mark Peterson at Ext. 7720, Riverside Campus.
• Joshua Ogle at Ext. 7039, Redwood Campus.
• Jess Mcloud at Ext. 7056, Redwood Campus.
• Shay Larson at Ext. 7826, Table Rock Campus.