DRC’s FAQs are set up to be a roadmap to the website. The answers to these FAQs will guide you to the place on our website where you can find the answer and more information regarding the question.
Testing Center FAQs
Students
Do I need to fill out a request for each individual exam?
Test room booking requests must be placed for each individual student for each individual exam. Students should connect with their instructor to determine where their accommodated exams will be supported, and if at the Testing Center, who will be responsible for initiating booking requests.
Does the Testing Center provide blue books/Scantrons or other exam materials?
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.
How can I cancel and reschedule my exam room booking?
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 contact 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.
How early or late can I submit an exam room booking request?
Exam room booking requests can be submitted as early as the first week of the quarter and should be made no later than 5 business days in advance of the exam. If the student is requesting a test room booking within 5 business days of the exam, please contact the Testing Center for additional support.
Faculty
Why have students requested an exam time or date that does not align with the in-class exam?
Exam Support Services cannot guarantee that exams proctored at the Testing Center will align with the in-class exam due our operational hours of 7:00 AM-7:00PM, space constraints, a student’s accommodation for an alternate date/time, or considerations to extended time accommodations and student schedules. The Exam Support Services team, in good faith, does its best to schedule exams as close to the main class time as possible.
Why do I have to review each individual exam room booking request even though some are for the same course?
While multiple students may be booked at the Testing Center for the same class, they are not necessarily testing at the same time or with the same testing parameters. Each booking request must be reviewed and acknowledged by the faculty member, as a compliance-based requirement. However, faculty are only required to upload the exam one time and can simply select the exam from a drop down menu going forward.
How can I retrieve completed exams that have been taken at the Testing Center?
Completed exams will be uploaded to Accommodate and they can be accessed there. When the completed exam is uploaded, faculty will receive a notification via email with details on how to download the completed exam. The Testing Center retains completed exams until the start of the next quarter. If the faculty member would like to pick up students’ completed exams, please contact the Testing Center directly.
If a student misses their scheduled exam, can they reschedule with the DRC Testing Center?
If a student with exam accommodations misses their exam, they are able to reschedule the exam with the Testing Center at the faculty member’s request. However, availability at the DRC Testing Center cannot be guaranteed.
Can I refuse a disability-related request for a make-up exam and instead drop the exam and add the points to a future exam?
Faculty may offer this as an option to students. However, if the student has a documented disability-related need for a make-up exam as verified by the Accommodation Specialist, then the student has a right to take a make-up exam. The exam may be an alternate exam of the same format and difficulty as the original exam. The faculty member may also choose to administer the same exam and have the student sign an honesty agreement.
The day of my final exam, a student in my class had a disability-related absence. The student now wants me to provide them with a make-up exam, which DRC has approved. Is it okay for me to give the student a grade of ‘Incomplete’ and ask them to take the final exam with next quarter’s class?
If the student is in good standing in their class at the time of the missed final, faculty can offer the student the option of an incomplete grade to allow them to take a make-up exam when they are well enough to do so. However, faculty cannot require a student to wait a full quarter to take the final exam with another class if the student requests to take the exam earlier. In many cases, if a student has missed an exam due to the impact of their disability, the student will be able to take the exam within days. If this is the case, it would not provide equal access to ask the student to continue to engage with the course material and maintain full preparation to take the exam for another quarter while the student is also engaging with the coursework for their current quarter.
Exam Accommodations FAQ
I have not heard from my instructor about plans for my accommodated exams.
We are asking instructors to inform their students about the plan for exams and accommodations. We recommend that you review the course syllabus and emails from your instructor for information regarding accommodated exams. If there is no clear information about accommodated exams, then email your instructor for information on how your exam accommodations will be managed. If your instructor does not provide this information, connect with your DRC Accommodation Specialist for support.
Exam follow-up email template:
Dear Professor,
I have not received any information about how our (Course Name and number) exam
accommodations will be handled. Can you tell
me how I will receive my accommodations for our exams?
How will I receive my exam accommodations for additional time for an exam if the exam is online?
If your accommodations include extended test time, Canvas and other exam platforms allow the instructor to adjust the time allowed for students with accommodations. The instructor can confirm the time has been adjusted to allow for your extended time.
I’ve been authorized for a scribe/reader for my exams. How will these accommodations be provided for an exam that is online?
If you have been authorized for a scribe/reader for your exams, Exam Support Services can provide you with one. Requests for a scribe/reader must be made at least 5 business days in advance of the exam. Please contact your instructor to determine who will be responsible for initiating a request for a scribe/reader.
What happens with accommodations that include a distraction reduced testing room or a private room for online exams?
For online exams, students are responsible for finding a location that is suitable for their needs. If you are taking the exam on-campus, you may want to consider reserving a study room in the campus libraries. You can also reach out to Exam Support Services, as there may be space available in the Testing Center to take your online exam.
Faculty FAQs
When should I refer students to DRC and what is the best way to refer students?
How is the decision made that a student needs accommodations? How does a student become eligible for DRC services?
Information on how students become eligible for DRC services.
What should I do if I object to a recommendation in DRC’s Academic Access (AA) Letter
Information on objecting to a recommendation in DRC’s AA Letter
Why do we receive late AA Letters? Can DRC or an instructor set a deadline for students to apply for accommodations each quarter?
How can I design my course to make it more accessible for students with disabilities? As I’m planning my class, is there anything I can do to make my class more accessible so students require fewer accommodations to participate in my class?
What should I do if a student tells me that they have a disability, but I have not received an Academic Access letter from DRC?
Can I require my students to speak with me before I initiate accommodations?
Information on Student-Instructor communication prior to accommodation initiation.
A student in my class is requesting an extension on their homework assignment, but their accommodation letter doesn’t say how many additional days I should allow them. How do I know how much additional time to provide?
Non-Affiliated Students FAQs
What is the DRC?
How can the DRC help me?
Can the DRC help me with admission to UCSC?
How do I become a DRC Student?
What do I need to bring to my appointment?
If you have documentation, please submit it to our office as soon as possible or bring it with you to your appointment. However, you do not need documentation to make an appointment.
What if I don’t have documentation?
If you think your academic struggles may be due to an undiagnosed, undocumented condition, please call or walk into our office to make an Information and Referral Appointment. Information and referral appointments allow students to be pre-screened in order to receive a referral for testing. Referrals to other offices on campus such as Counseling and Psychological Services may also be made.
What if I don’t have my documentation with me?
If you have had documentation in the past but do not have it with you, your doctor or high school will sometimes have some records available. It would be a good idea to contact them and ask if they can release your documents to our office.
What if I do not have diagnosed disability or a history of accommodation use?
Many students only begin to notice disability-related barriers upon entering college, while for others new conditions may emerge during their time at UC Santa Cruz.
We encourage students who may be experiencing disability-related barriers to make an appointment to discuss these impacts and explore a variety of resources. Through a comprehensive self-report, the DRC may be able to provide provisional (temporary) accommodations while connecting a student to a qualified professional to work towards obtaining documentation that would establish permanent access to accommodations at UC Santa Cruz.
What kind of documentation do I need?
Provide us with documentation that verifies your disability. The most useful documentation meets the UC system-wide guidelines for documentation. Be sure to review the guideline(s) appropriate for you.
How can I check the status of my documentation?
If for any reason you have not heard back from us within 3-5 business days, feel free to call the DRC for an update.
What if I just need transportation around campus?
If you have a temporary disability that requires transportation accommodations, please contact the Disability Van Service or the Student Health Center.
What if I have a temporary disability? (e.g. broken wrist)
Make an appointment with our office. If you have documentation from your medical provider, bring it to your appointment but it is not required. If you have an upcoming exam, be sure to let your DRC service coordinator know.
Can I receive accommodations for my pregnancy?
Student FAQs
How do I request services?
Please visit the Requesting Services page.
Why haven’t I gotten my AA letters yet?
It takes 2-3 business days to receive your AA letters in your @ucsc.edu email address after you have requested services in your Accommodate portal. If it has been longer than 3 business days, please contact us at drc@ucsc.edu.
What do I do if I have an ineffective notetaker?
Please contact the Notetaking Services Email with the class information and the specific problems you are having with your notetaker.
What do I do if I don’t have a notetaker?
Please contact the Notetaking Services Email if a notetaker is still needed and/or to discuss alternatives to notetakers.
What do I do if my exams overlap?
Please email your DRC service coordinator as well as your professors at least a week before your exams.
What do I do if I am late and/or miss my exam?
What if I am having difficulty receiving my accommodations for my class?
Contact your DRC service coordinator. They can support you in facilitating access to your accommodations.
How can i get a copy of my disability documentation?
Students have access to view their documentation directly in Accommodate by clicking on the “Documents” module > “Approved Documents.” If you do not see your documentation in Accommodate, please send an email to drc@ucsc.edu.
Having trouble accessing Accommodate?
Information regarding Accommodate and Accommodate resource guides.
What do I do if I miss a lot of classes because of my disability?
Can I receive accommodations for my pregnancy?
I would like for my family to know some information that is protected under FERPA. What do I do?
To release this information, you would have to fill out a Release Of Information (ROI) form. An ROI form allows a student to grant access of specified information to a specified person(s) for however long the student sets it to be. Access can be granted and removed anytime at a student’s request.