Faculty Test Procedures and Policies


Proctorio Faculty Support: 801-626-7019

 

 

Testing Information For Faculty

Faculty Spring 2023 Procedures

WSU Faculty,

Testing Services wants to give you heads up on the procedure going forward for use of Canvas in the testing centers. ChiTester disappears into the sunset officially on August 26. Canvas has already been utilized for about 20% of exams in the Spring Semester and is now the sole source of exam delivery for both testing centers and Proctorio. If you are in need of technical support, please contact WSU Online. Here help to aid in that transition.

We are also including a link to Faculty Check-in, which alerts the testing centers of dates open and test aids allowed to be on the student’s desk. If this is not filled out, your exam will not show up for check-in at testing centers.

For Proctorio, session reviews are now in the hands of the instructor. This is largely because of access to Canvas not being granted to proctors. It is imperative that departments set standards on secure exams. Faculty (or departments) determine what will happen after an infraction, but if you want to maintain national exam standards, please keep in mind that the following violations clearly disqualify a secure exam:

  • Lack of picture identification. Students must identify themselves with an official government picture I.D. Faculty may otherwise identify their own student within Proctorio.
  • Stepping away from the camera.
  • Any use of a cell phone. If you want to allow a cell phone, secured testing is not necessary and instructors should consider a take-home.
  • Unauthorized use of notes or cue cards.
  • Talking or collaborating with someone else in the room.
  • The lack of a room scan on Proctorio calls the exam legitimacy into question.

As for the validity of test results, testing centers with a live face-to-face proctor are the gold standard in the world of academic testing. This is important because it often shuts down an infraction or violation before it happens. However, it is up to the instructor to determine the level of security for a particular test, whether a testing center is more appropriate or if Proctorio is a better answer. Higher stakes exams generally benefit more from an actual testing center, whereas Proctorio may fit the need, especially for some online courses. Remember that without academic assessment standards, it diminishes any institution. Still, it is the goal of Testing Services to prevent any violation from happening before it results in any negative sanction for a student.

Please let us know how we can be of further service or if we can answer questions. We also welcome feedback on this ongoing process.

Testing Services Team, 801-626-6803.

Policy Guide for Faculty

  • As determined by the Faculty Testing Advisory Committee, exam reviews will not be given during finals. This period begins the Saturday before as reviews will resume the following Friday. There are not enough testing stations to accommodate both finals traffic and exam reviews. 
  • The Testing Center staff takes the instructor’s written instructions literally. Any allowance of testing aids must be spelled out. This agreement is between Testing and the faculty member. Any notes of permission, syllabi, or emails brought in by the student will not be considered.
  • Faculty may not ask for test aids or circumstances that are either beyond our ability or against Testing or National College Testing Association standards. This includes word processors allowed in the test room.
  • All submitted paper exams must be at least two days in duration. The Testing Centers are not equipped to handle one-day tests in which entire classes show up at once or within a short period.
  • Because of the potential volume of examinees on a certain day or our own record keeping, the Testing Department uses Canvas for online exams. We do not allow faculty to bring in their own disks or request the use of an internet site or program. This is disruptive to the process of checking students in or out, aside from producing accuracy issues.
  • Valid and current picture identification is required of all students who wish to test. This approved list includes a driver license, military identification, passport, or Wildcat card. It does not include a concealed weapon permit, food handlers permit, employment identification, credit card, or any other non-approved form of identification. Faculty has the right to identify a student, but it must be in person. A phone call or email does not positively identify a student or the faculty member.
  • We do not take a student’s homework for hand-in.
  • Students have the option of using a whiteboard instead of scratch paper for Canvas exams. No one is compelled to use the whiteboards.
  • In the case of certain misconduct, we place holds on students’ accounts in order for them to be compelled to visit the dean of students or to meet with our management. Under rare circumstances, a student may be banned from Testing Centers, but this process is also initiated through the dean of students.
  • The Testing Center is not a liaison or arbiter between the student and the faculty member. We do not chase down a test that has not been delivered, nor do we call faculty if a student is late for an exam. It is up to the student to approach the faculty about such a situation. The Testing Center does have a responsibility to contact faculty about an emergency, a cheating incident, or something that is our fault.
  • Calculators that have a separate area on the surface dedicated to a keyboard are not allowed in Testing Centers. These calculators are more akin to computers than to other calculators because they can connect to other devices and often to the internet.
  • For paper exams, the numbered copies must be delivered to a testing center. Copies should include instructor name, course name, as well. The centers do not pick up or deliver exams. We also do not make copies of exams.
  • No test is ever sent through U.S. or campus mail.
  • Any issues relating to the Test Center may be brought up through the Faculty Testing Advisory Committee, the governing board for Testing policies. A formal review can be arranged. The names of those committee members are listed on this website.
  • Any faculty member who feels these policies are not reasonable may petition the committee. Otherwise, it is up to the faculty member to evaluate if our services fit their needs.
  • We have a responsibility to create a secure environment, to treat all students equally, to follow national standards, and to deal with the high traffic that comes our way.
  • Time limits for Paper testing are not enforced by testing staff; ALL students will be informed of time limits and testing times will be recorded. All Timed Canvas examinations are managed by Canvas and will terminate automatically.