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Policies & Procedures for ESS Alternate Testing Services

Alternate Testing Services

Implementing approved accommodations is an individualized, interactive and ongoing process between student, faculty and Whitworth Educational Support Services (ESS) staff. Each individual involved in providing and receiving services needs to be communicative, meet one's responsibilities, and demonstrate poise and respect in the process.

ESS provides alternative testing services to ESS registered students, and at times, ESS is able to offer courtesy service to non-ESS registered students. The following defined policies, procedures and responsibilities will contribute to a successful exchange of service.

Exams contact information: examproctoring@whitworth.edu, 509.777.3806, Hixson Union Building Room 241

Scheduling an exam 

Submitting exam instructions and materials

How It Works

  1. Students authorized for testing accommodations have three options for any given quiz/exam:
    1. Take the exam with the class and choose not to use their testing accommodations
    2. Take the exam with appropriate testing accommodations arranged by the professor
    3. Take the exam at the ESS office with appropriate testing accommodations. Available proctoring hours are listed on the student scheduling form. Typical start time is 8:30 a.m. and last start time is 2 p.m.; however, this is subject to staffing and available resources. Final exams proctoring hours: exams start at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. ONLY.
    4. Proctoring closes at 4:45 p.m. during finals. 
  2. ESS alternative test proctoring is available to students that are unable to complete testing during regularly scheduled times whether due to extenuating circumstances or because of disability accommodations.
  3. The role of ESS is to assist, not to replace, faculty in providing students with testing accommodations. Faculty and students should discuss available opportunities within the classroom, faculty office hours and/or other appropriate testing areas that meet the accommodation need.
  4. While ESS will make every attempt to accommodate specific testing dates and times, ESS alternative test proctoring is subject to limited staff, space, time and closures that may result in unavailable services. When a request cannot be accommodated, the faculty member will be asked to provide testing accommodations.
  5. All printed testing materials received by ESS from the professor will go into a secure ESS marked Whitworth envelope with a label listing exam details (e.g., student, course, date/time, professor, etc.). These envelopes are reused, and please return them to ESS via intercampus mail, hand deliver to ESS or exchange with a proctor when he/she returns a recently completed exam to your office.
  6. ESS will not put exams or testing materials into intercampus mail as a return method due to the risk of delay, out-of-office staff and/or misplacement of delivery. If intercampus mail is requested by the faculty, ESS will hand deliver the exam to their respective mailroom inbox. Additionally, if faculty office doors are locked, exams will be slipped under the door if indicated as the return method.
  7. Students' right to education supersedes concerns about test integrity. Students with extended testing time accommodations cannot be forced to take a test at a specific time if that time overlaps with another class. In such cases, the test time will have to be adjusted, which may require faculty to provide an alternative version of the exam to maintain test integrity. Additionally, while ESS strives to conduct the best practices when handling test materials, any examinations taken out of faculty possession could jeopardize test integrity.
  8. In the event of cheating, the exam will be stopped, and all materials will be returned to the faculty member along with a written incident report. If rescheduling is permitted, the faculty member should call to verify the change with ESS.

Student Responsibilities

  1. The student must arrange for alternate testing accommodations with ESS in advance. It is not the faculty member's responsibility to notify ESS.
    Important: Submit your request to schedule an exam in ESS with a minimum of three business days or with as much advance notice as the professor gives.
  2. Student must submit an exam request in the ESS Portal. Detailed instructions found here. 
  3. Students must arrive at the testing location at the agreed upon time. Students should arrive 5-10 minutes (15-30 minutes for final exams) prior to the scheduled start time to receive their testing instructions. Students who come in late will either have the remainder of the scheduled time to complete the test and/or ESS reserves the right to return the exam to the professor. If the exam is returned, the student will be required to meet with their professor to discuss the situation and determine if a make-up exam will be administered. If rescheduling is permitted, the faculty member should call to verify the change with ESS.
  4. Students will leave all personal items outside the testing area. Only items authorized by the professor will be allowed in the proctor site. If scratch paper or an approved memory aid is used, it is to be turned in with the completed exam.

Educational Support Services Responsibilities

  1. The ESS coordinator will send a letter to each of the professors involved describing the accommodations warranted based on the documentation process (i.e., eligibility, Memorandum of Accommodation). The professor will have the option of providing the testing accommodations or requesting the ESS office to administer the quiz or exam.
  2. ESS has a responsibility for protecting the integrity of the examination process. Therefore, the professor of the course must approve any requested adjustments to the testing arrangements (e.g., make-up exams, student states more items can be used for testing other than what is listed on the faculty submitted test/proctor form).

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty will receive an email notifying them of the student's scheduled testing appointment.
IMPORTANT: Exams that need to be prepared for reader/audio format require additional efforts by ESS staff. Please strive to submit exam materials to ESS as quickly as possible.

  1. Submit the Professor Proctor Form & Agreement, which is a short questionnaire. 
    IMPORTANT: This will apply to all students and all tests given in the course.
  2. Set exam dates. Please set exam dates at the same time you fill out the questionnaire. You will have the opportunity to offer instructions that are specific to an exam, and you will be able to attach exam files on a rolling basis, but the sooner the better! Detailed instructions found here.

NOTE: It is best if these steps can be completed before students begin to schedule exams. If a student does schedule before you have done your part, you will receive an email prompting you to fill out the form.