Student Accommodated Testing Agreement

IMPORTANT: We require a minimum of 7 business days advance notice for an exam proctoring request. We strongly encourage instructors and their students to connect during Week 1 of each term, review exams for the course, and for students to then submit exam support requests to Testing Services right away for all exams where support might be needed. Please read the following agreement in full to better understand why this is important.


Portland State University Code of Student Conduct and Responsibility

Students engaging with PSU Testing Services will fully abide by the PSU Code of Student Conduct and Responsibility. Students who violate this Code will be immediately referred to the Dean of Student Life.


Working with Your Instructor

In most cases, students and instructors should be communicating with each other to determine if proctoring is available within the department before submitting an exam request to PSU Testing Services.


Requesting the Support of PSU Testing Services

Important: As noted above, we require a minimum of 7 business days advance notice for an exam proctoring request. If you have any questions, please send an email to: TestingServices@pdx.edu

The majority of students who are proctored by Testing Services will test outside the Testing Center. We have other locations around campus where we proctor exams for students whose testing accommodations do not necessitate testing in the Testing Center. In these settings, you may be testing in a room with several other students, which is fully in compliance with DRC guidance for a distraction-reduced space. If you have concerns about this, please consult your primary DRC Access Counselor & Consultant or the first available DRC AC&C/intern right away.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled exam, please contact both your instructor and PSU Testing Services right away to make other testing arrangements. Testing Services will not proctor an exam past the deadline set by an instructor.


Health Check, Illness, Exposure, or Positive Test for COVID-19

  • If you are feeling sick with cold or flu-like symptoms, please do not come to test with us. If you need medical attention, please consider calling The Center for Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) to discuss your symptoms and situation at 503-725-2800. They will advise you on testing, quarantine if necessary, and when you can return to campus.
     
  • Please notify Testing Services right away if you need to miss your exam appointment for any of these reasons so that we can coordinate with you and your instructor to reschedule your exam.
     
  • Masks are always available upon request. As we’ve learned, mask wearing is an important tool for stopping the spread of viruses.

On Your Testing Day

  1. Please plan to arrive promptly 10 minutes before your exam and no more than 15 minutes before since proctors will be setting up the testing space. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the testing location in advance if you are not familiar with the area and building. If you arrive late for your exam, this will be noted to your instructor and that time will be deducted from your exam time.
     
  2. If you have not arrived by your scheduled exam start time and we have not heard from you, your appointment will be canceled and you will either need to book another appointment for a future date (if we have availability) or make other arrangements with your instructor. If we do hear from you before your exam start time, but you will be more than 10 minutes late, you will need to reschedule with us for a future date (if we have availability) or make other arrangements with your instructor. If you think you are going to arrive late for your testing appointment, it is important that you call us immediately at (503) 725-4459.
     
  3. PSU is a fragrance-free environment, and this includes Testing Services. Please refrain from using scented personal care, laundry, and cleaning products. Thank you for your consideration of others in providing an environment in which every person on campus can feel safe and comfortable. Review more in the PSU Fragrance Free Value Statement.
     
  4. On your testing day, you must bring 1) a current, valid photo ID, and 2) all required testing items — such as Scantron, blue books, and any other allowable testing materials; Testing Services does not provide these items. If you do not bring a current, valid photo ID, you will not be able to take your test. If you need to leave to procure a Scantron, blue book or other allowable testing materials required for your exam, this time will be deducted from your exam time.
     
  5. We have a limited supply of four-function calculators which we provide to students who have an accommodation. If you do not have this accommodation, you may request the use of one from Testing Services staff (if allowed per guidance from your instructor).
     
  6. Please let us know if you would like to use in-ear earplugs or over-the-ear noise dampening earmuffs and we will provide these for you. We also have a limited supply of background noise machines with headphones that can be checked out and used during your exam, as well.
     
  7. If your instructor has specified that you are allowed to use blank scratch paper during your exam, Testing Services will provide this; students are not allowed to use their own scratch paper.
     
  8. No electronic devices (cell phones, smart watches, calculators, digital music players, calculators, etc.) are allowed in testing spaces other than those which are medically necessary and those that your instructor has told Testing Services are allowed for the exam.
     
  9. You will be required to store all items out of reach during the exam except those explicitly approved by your instructor and/or the DRC. This includes noise-canceling headphones. Please notify Testing Services in advance if you would like us to provide ear plugs or noise-dampening earmuffs for use during your exam.
     
  10. You will be asked to completely silence (no ring/beep/vibrate) all electronic devices present in the testing environment before your exam begins, including those devices stored in lockers or otherwise out of reach. Putting your device in airplane mode is typically the best way to accomplish this.
     
  11. You may not leave the testing area during your exam with the exception of short bathroom breaks. Please use the restroom, pay for parking, and address other non-testing related issues prior to starting your exam.
     
  12. Only beverage containers with lids that completely close and seal to prevent spilling are allowed in the testing area and these should be open only while you are actively drinking from them. We will ask you to open the container so we can confirm that it contains a beverage and not disallowed materials.
     
  13. You will not be allowed to take any exam materials with you after the exam—including exam questions and scratch paper—unless Testing Services has received explicit guidance from your professor that this is allowed. If you would like to take any of the testing materials with you after your exam, please be sure to arrange this with your instructor ahead of time and ensure they have conveyed this agreement to Testing Services.
     
  14. All students who test with Testing Services must abide by the Portland State University Code of Conduct and the PSU Testing Services Student Accommodated Testing Agreement. Violations will be reported to the instructor, the Office of Student Conduct within the Office of the Dean of Student Life, and the Disability Resource Center.

By testing with PSU Testing Services, you acknowledge you have read and understand this Agreement and agree to abide by it in full.


Other questions?

  • For questions about specific student DRC accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center (503-725-4150; drc@pdx.edu).
  • For questions about testing procedures, please contact Testing Services (503-725-4459; TestingServices@pdx.edu).

PSU Testing Services
Hours of operation: Monday - Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Email: TestingServices@pdx.edu (this is the best, most efficient way to communicate with us)
Website: https://www.pdx.edu/learning-center/testing-services
Telephone: (503) 725-4459

IMPORTANT: Given that we operate out of multiple locations, in-person visits are by appointment only.