The University of California, Santa Cruz campus utilizes a shared model for test accommodations and proctoring services. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) Exam Support Services, in partnership with faculty and students, strives to establish a fair and sustainable testing environment. Although academic departments and faculty members bear primary responsibility for providing testing accommodations to students with disabilities, there are several means of support for exam accommodations. Accommodated exams may be supported directly by course faculty, departmental or divisional staff or the DRC Testing Center. Upon approval for exam accommodations, course faculty should communicate with students on how their accommodated exams will take place.
The DRC Testing Center provides accommodated exam support for all academic divisions on a first-come, first-serve basis. All approved DRC exam accommodations are eligible to be supported by the Testing Center. Space is limited at the Testing Center, so it is highly advised that faculty and students coordinate any necessary Testing Center bookings as early as possible in the quarter.
Testing Center Workflow
- At the beginning of the quarter, faculty should decide how exam accommodations will be supported. We recognize that faculty members may utilize multiple different resources and/or spaces to support student exam accommodations. Faculty should clearly communicate with students where their accommodated exams will take place and any necessary steps that students should take as early as possible in the quarter. We recommend that faculty share this information with students in a written format, ensuring that students have ready access to information about how their accommodated exams will be supported.
- A test room booking at the DRC Testing Center must be initiated 5+ business days in advance of the exam date by either students, faculty or departmental staff. Note that availability is on a first come, first served basis, and cannot be guaranteed.
- Students can request rooms by following the Request a Room in the DRC Testing Center guide
- Faculty/departmental staff can request a room on students’ behalf using the Exam Scheduling Support Request Form
- Once a booking request has been submitted, Exam Support Services staff will review and approve requests, so long as all requirements are met and space is available. Once approved, students and faculty will receive a confirmation email. Students and faculty will receive additional reminder emails as the exam date approaches.
- If a student will require an alternative format exam (i.e. Kurzweil Text-to-Speech, Enlarged Print, Accessible Electronic Format), faculty must upload a blank copy of the exam at least 4 business days prior to the exam date to allow for remediation.
- At least 2 business days prior to an exam booking, faculty must upload a blank copy of the exam and complete the acknowledgement in Accommodate. An acknowledgement is a chance for faculty to confirm the booking details and answer a few questions about the testing conditions.
- On the exam day, students should plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time to allow ample time for check-in procedures and reviewing Testing Center guidelines. Once the exam has been completed, all testing materials are uploaded and submitted in Accommodate, where faculty will receive a notification with instructions on how to access the completed exam.
All students taking exams at the DRC Testing Center will be held to the same standard as all students as outlined in the UCSC Student Handbook and University Policies and the Academic Misconduct Policy for Undergraduates, which includes the following:
“The cornerstone of intellectual life at UC Santa Cruz is a commitment to integrity in all forms of teaching, learning, and research.”
Information on how to contact Exam Support Services or locate the DRC Testing Center can be found on the Contact Us page of our website.