Alternative Testing Policies

Academic Honesty

  • Per the University's Academic Honesty, exam proctors who observe suspicious behavior during a quiz or exam must provide a written report and all pertinent documentation to the Alternative Testing Coordinator.
  • Any instances of students testing with the OSD (Office for Students with Disabilities) Alternative Testing Center suspected of academic dishonesty will be reported to instructors and Associate Dean of Students: Student Conduct.

Exam Scheduling 

  • Students with approved alternative testing accommodations must enter all quizzes, exams, and midterm requests at least 7 days in advance for standard tests. Requests must be entered at least 3 weeks in advance for final exams.
  • OSD scheduling deadlines for all exams; Fall Exams: November 20; Spring Exams: April 20
  • Students can edit or cancel exam requests by logging in to the OSD Student Portal or emailing [email protected].
  • The Office for Students with Disabilities is open to proctor accommodated exams from 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday, and Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. during the semester and during finals week from 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday, and Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Any evening exams, including finals that will end past this time with a student's accommodations, will be automatically rescheduled to an earlier start time so that they end by 10:00 p.m.
  • Students must adhere to exam request deadlines described in our Testing Policies.
  • Exams are to be scheduled at the closest time slot that their class is taking the exam unless the student provides the OSD Testing Coordinator with an email from the instructor approval to test at a different date/time.
    • If your extended time accommodation would cause an exam to run past 6 p.m. Monday – Thursday or 5 p.m. on Friday, refer to the Rescheduling Policy below and obtain permission from your instructor for an earlier start time.
      • Monday – Thursday    
        • 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
      • Friday    
        • 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m.

Rescheduling Policy

If an exam needs to be moved or rescheduled to an alternative day/time:

  • Students with accommodations may move or reschedule an exam with their professor's permission. If they approve, they must forward their professor's written/emailed approval of the alternate date to the Testing Coordinator at [email protected].

Allowed Materials

  • Students are responsible for knowing which materials are allowed for their exams. 
  • The OSD Alternative Testing Center does not provide graphing or scientific calculators. If calculators are allowed by the instructor, students must bring their own. 
  • Students taking exams that include audio must bring their own wired headphones. 
  • To avoid confusion between the use of instructor-allowed notes or formula sheets, the OSD Alternative Testing Center provides students with watermarked scrap paper upon request. 
  • Personal devices such as cell phones, smart watches, smart glasses, or are not permitted during exams. 
  • Food and drinks brought with the student to the Alternative Testing Center are not permitted.  

Procedure for the OSD Alternative Testing Center

  • Students must check in for their exams at the OSD front desk by presenting a valid photo ID. 

  • Before starting an exam, students must store all unapproved materials and personal belongings in the lockers provided or shelving units. 

  • Students must arrive 10 minutes before their scheduled exam time. Additional testing time will not be provided for late arrivals. 

  • Students who arrive more than 30 minutes after the scheduled exam start time will not be permitted to begin the exam without the instructor’s approval. 

Breaks

  • Time spent on restroom breaks will not be added to the exam end time. 
  • Restroom breaks should be kept as brief as possible and should not exceed 5 minutes. 
  • Proctors will record the time students spend away from the Alternative Testing Center. Frequent or extended restroom breaks will be reported to the Alternative Testing Coordinator. 

Student Questions During an Exam

  • Only the instructor is authorized to answer questions regarding exam content.
  • Proctors and Testing Center staff are not authorized to interpret, explain, or provide clarification on exam questions.
  • The OSD Alternative Testing Center requests the instructor to provide contact information for any questions that may arise during an exam.
  • Students should review the entire exam as soon as it is distributed to identify any questions needing clarification. Students should then notify the proctor so the testing staff may contact the professor right away.
  • The Alternative Testing Staff will attempt to contact the instructor by phone and/or email. If the instructor cannot reach, we encourage the student to write the question on the exam, continue with the remaining exam, and email the instructor immediately after completing the exam. The Alternative Testing Coordinator – [email protected] should be included in the email. 

Completing an Exam

All exam materials used during the exam, including any notes and scrap paper, will be collected and given to the instructor.