Testing Center Guidelines

The Texas A&M University-Central Texas Testing Center (Testing Center) serves our students and the community at large by providing a secure environment to take placement, course, distance learning, and professional certification exams. As members of the National College Testing Association, we adhere to the NCTA Professional Standards and Guidelines, in order to ensure the best possible testing conditions as well as to standardize exam procedures. These guidelines are frequently reviewed, updated and are subject to change without notice. Listed below are the current TAMUCT Testing Center guidelines.

 

• We administer exams to testers that have been previously granted accommodations due to a documented disability.
• Students seeking academic accommodations for TAMUCT course exams administered on campus are encouraged to register with the Office of Access & Inclusion to make arrangements prior to testing. On the day of the exam, only the accommodations previously granted are made for the tester; if other accommodations are requested of us that have not been previously approved, they are not allowed. The tester is referred back to the Office of Access & Inclusion for any additional accommodations requested for future exams.
• Testers seeking accommodations for professional certification exams taken at the TAMUCT Testing Center are arranged by the tester, directly with each testing company, such as ETS, Scantron, TCFP, etc.

 

• Appointments must be made at least 3 business days prior to the requested test date.
• Date and time requests are not guaranteed as the Testing Center operates on a “by appointment” basis.
• Exams are not administered on a walk-in basis.

 

• TAMUCT students that cancel and reschedule or fail to show up for any one particular scheduled exam two times (within the allowed testing dates) are referred to the course instructor for assistance with their exam and are not allowed to take the exam in the Testing Center unless the instructor re-authorizes it.
• Testers that continue to not show up for exams that have been re-authorized by their instructor can be banned from using the Testing Center facilities for the rest of the semester. The Testing Center Coordinator will contact the instructor directly to determine whether or not they want to allow their student to use our facilities.
• Failure to arrive when scheduled frequently impacts students who are scheduled for later times and sometimes limits the time available to complete the exam. After a 15 minute delayed arrival, it will be assumed that the tester is a “no show” and rescheduling may be necessary.

 

• TAMUCT expects its students to maintain a high standard of personal and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and abuse of resource materials. All violations of the TAMUCT Code of Conduct pertaining to an exam, within the Testing Center, are reported to the instructor and to the University Conduct Officer. Appeals to decisions made through the Office of Student Conduct are to be made directly to that office. Testers are required to acknowledge the Testing Center Guidelines and be reminded of the school’s Academic Integrity policy each semester. This is done the first time they test each semester by reading and filling out our electronic Testing Center Informed Consent.
• Violations of other schools’ exam rules, are reported directly to the person/office that sent us the exam, and the tester is subject to that school’s decisions and disciplinary actions.
• Violations of exam rules, from third party companies such as, ETS, Scantron, TCFP, and Assessment Services are reported directly to the company in question, and the tester is subject to the third party’s regulations and our administration of procedures required of us as their contract partner.

 

• Testing Center staff adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines.
• Information is processed in a manner that ensures confidentiality. Confidential information is not given out over the phone.

 

• Faculty are required to fill out our Faculty Online Request Form at least 7 business days prior to the exam date. This form provides the Testing Center staff with the test instructions and parameters which are used to administer the exam to students.
• Faculty are required to provide their student testers with the link to the Student Online Request Form so that the student(s) can request a date and time to take the exam.
• Faculty are required to submit the exam to the Testing Center staff either by delivering the paper exam to our office or by emailing the exam as an attachment to proctor@tamuct.edu . If the Testing Center does not receive the exam before the tester arrives to take the exam, Testing Center personnel refers the tester back to the instructor for further instructions.
• Faculty are required to provide the Testing Center with passwords that apply to online exams.
• If the instructor chooses to pick-up the exam upon its completion, rather than having it emailed to them, they are required to provide Testing Center staff with their employee ID or a state/national ID card before the exam is released to them. If the instructor chooses to have a staff representative (not a student worker) pick-up the exam in their place, they must inform the Testing Center staff in writing. The representative will also be required to present a picture ID

 

Please use following link for payment: https://commerce.cashnet.com/TAMUCTGRE

1. $25 – Administration fee due for each course exam taken by Non-TAMUCT students and testers.
2. $20 – Administration fee due for each TCFP exam.
3. $25 – Administration fee for each ACCUPLACER and TSI set of exams taken. The fee is renewed each time one or more exams within the set are not passed.
4. Refunds – Refunds can be made for exams that were paid for, but not taken. All refunds must be authorized by the Testing Center Coordinator prior to requesting it from the Business Office. Refunds to a debit/credit card usually post to the account within 7 days. Refunds for cash or check payments could take up to 2 months to process.
5. $20 - TCEQ

• Fees and refunds related to third party testing company exams; e.g. ETS, Caste WorlScantron, TCFP, and Assessment Services, are transacted directly with the testing company.

 

• Picture ID is provided by the tester before each exam taken.
• The Testing Center accepts the following types of original, current, and valid picture identification, except where other schools’ or third party testing companies delineate specific ID cards allowed for their exams:

1. Driver’s License (any state)
2. Federal-Issued ID
3. State-Issued ID
4. Passport
5. Passport card
6. Military ID
7. Green card/alien registration/permanent resident card
8. TAMUCT student ID card (no other school IDs are accepted)

Note: Some military IDs and passport cards do not contain signatures. They are generally still acceptable, as long as the ID is presented with a secondary ID containing a signature.

• ID cards, that do not meet all of the following criteria are not accepted:

1. Is original (not a photocopy)
2. Contains a photo (that matches the appearance of the ID holder)
3. Contains a signature
4. Is current (not expired)
5. Is intact (not defaced in any way)

Exams are not administered unless an acceptable picture ID is presented prior to the exam.

 

• Paper exams received from instructors or third party testing companies are maintained within a locked filing cabinet that is located within a locked office.
• Completed exams that are scanned and returned to the instructor via email, are kept until the end of the semester (under lock and key), at which time they are shredded.
• Emails containing attached exams are deleted once the exam has been administered to all the students scheduled to take it.
• Tests and test materials provided to us by third party testing companies are handled according to each company's specific instructions.
• Access to secure storage is limited to authorized Testing Center personnel.

 

Misconduct and disruptive behavior is prohibited in the Testing Center. The following is a general list of misconduct and disruptive behaviors; however, it is not exhaustive. The Testing Center reserves the right to dismiss a tester for misconduct and/or disruptive behavior, as well as to refuse to administer an exam for the same reasons.

• Causing a disturbance of any kind
• Failure to follow instructions
• Giving or receiving assistance of any kind
• Attempting to take an exam for someone else
• Taking or attempting to take the same exam more than once during a testing session
• Using any prohibited aids (this includes Internet sites)
• Removing or attempting to remove test questions, responses, or notes
• Attempting to remove scratch paper
• Tampering with the computer
• Attempting to use the computer for any reason other than testing
• Speaking with other testers

In the event of encountered misconduct and/or disruptive behavior, the Testing Center staff may take one or more of the following actions:

• confiscate unauthorized materials
• notify instructor
• notify the University Conduct Officer
• file an incident report
• call the University Police to attend
• dismiss the tester from the Testing Center
• ban the testers from future use of the Testing Center facilities

 

• Non TAMUCT students need to obtain a temporary parking pass each time they visit campus. The pass is obtained at the Welcome Center desk in the Founder’s Hall lobby. The vehicle make, model, and license plate number are needed to obtain a parking pass. For further assistance regarding parking, contact the University Police Department at (254) 501-5800
• Non TAMUCT students that do not obtain a parking pass for the day, are subject to receiving a parking citation from the Texas A&M University-Central Texas Police Department.
• Testing Center staff cannot dismiss a citation issued by the TAMUCT Police Department.

All exams taken at the Testing Center are proctored by the Testing Center Coordinator and/or her/his designated proctors, in order to:

1. Maintain integrity and security during the test process
2. Ensure test outcomes are fair and scores are valid for their intended use
3. Maintain a distraction-reduced testing environment

 

• All personal belongings are prohibited within the testing room. The following is a general list of prohibited items; however, it is not exhaustive.

1. All electronic devices, such as, but not limited to, cell phones, MP3 players, smart and digital watches, activity tracking devices, laptops, tablets, smart glasses, headphones, and earbuds.
2. Handbags and backpacks
3. Clothing: Outerwear, such as, winter coats, raincoats and gloves, and scarves. All types of hats and beanies. Sunglasses.
4. All pockets are to be emptied of all personal items. Examples: paper and coin money, lip balm, candy, gum, tissue.
5. All food and beverages, including water.
6. Large bracelets, large necklaces, analog watches, non- metal jewelry items (e.g., necklaces/bracelets made of silicone, rubber, fiber or nylon).
7. Lanyards and nametags.

 

• Testers have the option to store their personal belongings in one of our small lockers or leave them at another location, such as their vehicle. Testers are encouraged to leave their valuable property at home. The lockers can fit some small or medium sized backpacks and are located outside of the testing room.
• Cell phones must be powered off. Settings of vibrate or silent are not acceptable.
• The Testing Center is not equipped to store firearms.
• The Testing Center is not responsible for personal property brought to the Testing Center and/or stored in a locker.

 

• A test proctor physically monitors the room, by walking back and forth, behind all testing stations.
• The Testing Center is under video and audio surveillance at all times.
• All testing sessions are recorded.  
• Recorded footage is shared with the University Conduct Officer upon her/his request, when an incident report is filed.
• Computer Monitoring Software is used to monitor Testing Center computers.

 

• Testers are expected to follow instructions given by Testing Center staff.
• Testers may not leave the testing room during testing for any reason (including bathroom breaks, unless the instructor allows otherwise), nor may testers return to the testing room to finish an exam at a later time unless their test instructions state otherwise (with the exception of the ACCUPLACER/TSI exams).
• If a tester needs assistance, she/he is to raise their hand and wait for a proctor to come to them. Note: The proctor cannot assist with the content of an exam.
• Testers must use scratch paper provided by the proctor, as long as the instructor has approved its use. This scratch paper must be turned in to the proctor along with the exam prior to leaving the testing room.
• Due to liability issues and out of respect for those testing, the Testing Center cannot allow guests, visitors, or family members in the testing room at any time unless the student has a documented disability that requires assistance, which must be approved beforehand. 

• In order to avoid distracting others, testers must keep their voice level low and only communicate with Testing Center staff.