In order to receive exam accommodations, students must first be affiliated with the DRC and they must submit their Academic Access (AA) Letter for use of their accommodations each quarter. Once approved for exam accommodations, course faculty will advise the student on how they intend to provide those accommodations. Exam accommodations can be supported directly by the course faculty, by a departmental or divisional exams coordinator or center, by the DRC Testing Center or a combination of the above.
Some exam accommodations require time to coordinate, and departmental or divisional exams coordinators or centers may have additional deadlines for coordinating accommodations for exams. After students request their AA Letters, they should confirm with their faculty member which exam accommodations they plan to use at least 5 business days prior to their exam date. This is also a great opportunity to verify where the faculty member wants the student to take their accommodated exams and confirm any necessary actions students must take in coordinating their accommodated exams. It is highly advised that students request their AA Letters as early as possible in the quarter, in order to provide ample time for accommodated exam coordination.
Students have access to a variety of resources for their exam accommodations, with their Accommodation Specialist being a great starting point for any questions or concerns. Additionally, with any concerns, students can file a formal grievance or submit an anonymous Accommodated Exam Complaint Form to the Exam Support Services team, who will work with relevant partners to resolve issues for future exams.
DRC Testing Center
The DRC Testing Center provides support for all exam accommodations across divisions on a first-come, first-served basis. Students should consult with their faculty regarding where their exams will be held. If exams will be supported by the DRC Testing Center, students should confirm who is responsible for initiating booking requests for exams. If it is the student’s responsibility to initiate booking requests, students should follow the How to Request a Room in the DRC Testing Center guide as early as possible in the quarter for the best chance of securing a booking at the testing center. If you have your exam dates readily available, you should initiate booking requests for all exams for the quarter in advance, as the DRC Testing Center fills up quickly during midterms and finals. Students requesting a booking within 3 business days of the exam will not be able to book through Accommodate and should contact Exam Support Services for additional support. Although Exam Support Services works to support last minute requests whenever possible, requests made under stated deadlines cannot be guaranteed due to resource constraints. For students with the associated accommodations, exams scheduled at the DRC Testing Center will automatically have scribes, readers, and/or assistive technology assigned to test room bookings.
Once a booking has been approved, students will receive a confirmation email from Accommodate and a reminder email as the exam date gets closer. The most up-to-date information about student bookings can be found in Accommodate at any time. Students should closely review their exam start time and location, as these may differ from the main class. Any scheduling changes for your exam must be approved by course faculty.
Testing Day at the DRC Testing Center
Students should arrive at the Testing Center office at least 15 minutes in advance of their exam start time with their student ID and all necessary testing materials. Please refer to the Exam Room Booking in Accommodate for the exam time, and note that the start time may be different from the main class start time. If the student arrives after the grace period set by course faculty, the exam may need to be canceled and rescheduled with their faculty member.
After the proctor has checked the student in, they will confirm the student’s testing information and instruct them on where to store their cell phone and belongings, except for those approved testing materials. The student will be directed to their testing station and will begin their exam when the proctor instructs them to do so.
Students may go to the proctor to ask questions about the exam, but proctors are not allowed to answer questions about the exam themselves. The proctor will connect with the student’s professor or TA, and relay their questions to them directly. Students can ask their proctor for specific time warnings or inquire about how much time is left in their exam at any time. If the student needs to use the restroom or get a glass of water, they should inform their proctor. All testing and non-testing materials will be left in the testing room. If the student leaves the testing room without prior approval from the proctor, their exam will be considered complete, and no further corrections or continuation will be permitted.
If there are any questions or concerns with the testing environment, such as any distractions or accessibility barriers, students should let their proctor or a staff member know promptly. Exam Support Services staff cannot approve new accommodations, but there might be changes we can make to the testing environment. If students have questions or concerns about their accommodations, they should contact their Accommodation Specialist after the exam.
Once the student has completed their exam they will return it to the proctor. The proctor will confirm with the student that they are finished and will sign them out. Once the exam is completed it will be uploaded to the student’s faculty member and submitted using Accommodate.
Accommodated Exams Outside the DRC Testing Center
If exams will be administered outside of the DRC Testing Center, students should proactively confirm with their faculty member if any steps are required to coordinate their accommodations and determine how their exams will be scheduled. Certain accommodations, such as extended time or alternate testing spaces, require advance coordination and may have specific deadlines. Students should not assume that accommodations are automatically arranged; instead, students should confirm with their course faculty how and where the necessary exam accommodations will be provided. While faculty will make every effort to accommodate last-minute requests, these cannot be guaranteed due to resource constraints. If students have questions or concerns about receiving their exam accommodations, they should contact their Accommodation Specialist.
For exams taking place outside of the DRC Testing Center that require assistive technology or a specialized exam assistant Scribe or Reader, an Assistive Technology & Exam Assistant Request Form should be completed at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled exam. Be sure to discuss with your faculty member who will be responsible for initiating these requests.
Unless otherwise requested, each approved exam accommodation should be delivered in a timely manner, regardless of where the exam is taking place. Students can waive the use of select exam accommodations by communicating directly with their course faculty.
If there are any questions or concerns with the testing environment, such as any distractions or accessibility barriers, students should let their proctor know promptly. If students have questions or concerns about their accommodations, they should contact their Accommodation Specialist after the exam.