The Santa Cruz campus utilizes a shared model for test accommodations and proctoring services. Disability Resource Center’s 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, several means of support for exam accommodations exist. Upon approval for exam accommodations, course faculty will guide students on how to access the required accommodations.
This collaboration guarantees that students with disabilities receive the necessary assistance to achieve academic success while maintaining academic standards. The campus is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students regardless of their abilities. By working together, we can promote a culture of equity and access for all students.
The Disability Resource Center’s Testing Center provides select accommodations support for all academic divisions. However, space is limited, and faculty should make an effort to provide accommodations within their respective departments for students who require accommodations such as 1.5 more time and a reduced distraction environment. This approach allows the DRC to ensure that sufficient space is available to proctor students who require more complex accommodation support. The following accommodations are supported at the DRC Testing Center while accommodations not mentioned here will be facilitated by the course faculty and/or departmental and divisional exam coordinators:
- Exams: 2.0x Time
- Exams: 2.5x Time
- Exams: Private Room
- Exams: Scribe
- Exams: Reader
- Exams: Dragon Speech-to-Text Software
- Exams: Kurzweil Text-to-Speech Software
- Exams: Short Breaks without time penalty
- Exams: Taken in Two Sessions
- Exams: Alternate test date
- Exams: Alternate test time
- Exams: Laptop
- Exams: CCTV Use
- Exams: Modified Lighting
- Exams: Noise-Cancelling Headset
- Remote Participation: Remote Exams and Quizzes
By providing accommodations within departments where possible, faculty can ensure that all students with disabilities receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. This collaborative approach also ensures that the DRC can provide accommodations to as many students as possible, given the limited space available. The DRC is committed to working with faculty and academic departments to ensure that all students have equal access to educational opportunities and resources.
Important Information
- Test room booking requests must be placed for each individual exam
- Students are responsible for bringing all necessary exam materials to the Testing Center on the day of the exam unless otherwise noted by Testing Center staff.
- Students can cancel their exam room booking in one of the following ways: the student can log on to Accommodate and cancel it, or they can email the Testing Center and request their exam cancellation. To reschedule the exam room booking the student will need to log on to Accommodate and request a new exam room booking.
Summer Session Exam Accommodations Support
During UC Santa Cruz’s Summer Session, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) Testing Center offers comprehensive exam accommodation support for students with disabilities. Unlike the regular academic quarters, where the Testing Center only can support a limited list of accommodations, all exam accommodations will be supported by the Testing Center during Summer Session on a first-come, first-serve basis. Faculty members still have the option to deliver exam accommodations themselves if they prefer. It is crucial for students and faculty to communicate about how exam accommodations will be managed for each course. Exam Support Services advises students to utilize office hours early in the quarter to discuss their accommodations. Students planning to test at the Testing Center should coordinate with their faculty member regarding booking responsibilities.
Summer Session Information Student Responsibilities
Student Responsibilities
- Request Academic Access letters as soon as possible in the quarter
- Talk to the professors in the beginning of the quarter about how exam accommodations will be supported and any action needed to take
- If the student’s exams will be supported at the DRC Testing Center, clarify who will be responsible for requesting exam bookings. If it is the student’s responsibility, request test room bookings at least 5 business days in advance by following the Request a Room in the DRC Testing Center Guide.
Summer Session Information for Faculty
Faculty Responsibilities
- Announce or disclose opportunities for students to meet with their instructor to discuss testing accommodations
- Determine how the faculty’s department/course will implement exam accommodations for students
- If the faculty’s exams will be supported at the DRC Testing Center, inform students who will be responsible for requesting exam bookings. If it is the faculty’s responsibility, request test room bookings at least 5 business days in advance using the Exam Scheduling Support Request Form.
- If the faculty’s exams will be supported within your department, please submit any Assistive Technology and Exam Assistant Requests, such as Scribe, Reader, Exam Laptop, Noise-Canceling Headset at least 5 business days in advance. Exam Support Services will manage assistive technology and exam assistant requests for exams taken at the Testing Center.
If students have Alternate Format accommodations such as Accessible Electronic Format, Enlarged Print, or Kurzweil Text-to-Speech Software, please ensure that exams are submitted to the Alternative Media Services Email at least four (4) business days before the scheduled exam date.