Testing Center Policies

1. Exam requests are approved using a priority system that strongly encourages students to schedule exams as early as possible:  

   • Requests with SDRC-registered accommodations are approved on a rolling basis, as long as space is available. 

   • Requests without registered accommodations are approved beginning 10 days prior to the testing date, as long as space is available. 

   • Requests received fewer than five (5) days prior to the exam will not be approved except in special circumstances.
     
     

2. Students must take their exam during Testing Center operating hours on the day of the regularly scheduled exam, or within the timeframe approved by their instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure compliance with this policy.
   
   

3. Late Arrivals and No-shows:

   • Students arriving late for their scheduled exam may be asked to reschedule.

   • Students who miss a scheduled exam or who reschedule the same exam more than one time must meet with the Director before they will be permitted to schedule another exam. Contact us at oasustesting@rice.edu with any questions or concerns or to schedule a meeting.
     
     

4. Restroom breaks are permitted. Before going to the restroom or stepping out for a break, students should hand their test to the Test Administrator; it will be returned after the break. For those students whose accommodations do not include breaks, the exam timer will not pause for breaks. Students are not permitted to leave the 5th or 6th floor of Fondren Library during breaks.
   
   

5. In the case of an unavoidable interruption to an exam such as an emergency, the Testing Center staff will collect all exam materials and instruct students to seek guidance from their instructor.
   
   

6. At all times during their visit to the Testing Center, students are bound by the Rice Honor Code.

Scheduling an Exam

The Testing Center is open 8:30am-5:30pm Monday-Friday during the regular term, with expanded hours during Final Exams. In order to make the limited space accessible to as many testers as possible, we ask that faculty allow students a minimum 3-day window during these hours in which to schedule their assessment, not inclusive of weekends.

Students initiate exam schedule requests directly, after which faculty are contacted to confirm approval and provide testing material. Student instructions can be found here: OASUS Testing Center - Student Resources. All faculty who approve their students’ use of the Testing Center will be asked to complete a one-time form (Alternative Testing Agreement) detailing the testing parameters their students must follow.

General Process

All exams administered in the OASUS Testing Center require an Alternative Testing Agreement to be uploaded to the SDRC Instructor Portal (AIM). This agreement provides the Testing Center with the exam parameters for your course. The Testing Center cannot approve exam scheduling requests for your course until an Alternative Testing Agreement is on file.

1. The student asks their instructor for their approval to take their course exams in the Testing Center. 

2. The student submits an exam request using this form: OASUS Exam Request Form (Fa26) - Must be logged in to Rice Google account to access 

   • • Students with accommodations will be directed to the SDRC Student Portal (AIM) through the OASUS Exam Request Form to submit their exam requests. The Testing Center Staff will check availability in the Testing Center for the requested exam date. Students with accommodations will receive an approval or denial notification directly from the SDRC Student Portal (AIM) or oasustesting@rice.edu at least 5 days before their requested exam date.

     • Students with other testing needs (e.g. religious obligations, course or athletic schedule conflicts, temporary health or wellbeing concerns, etc.) will use the OASUS Exam Request form to submit their requests. The Testing Center Staff will reach out to the instructor to confirm the eligibility of the students requesting to use the Testing Center for other testing needs. 

       1. The instructor will submit a list of approved testers with other testing needs using the following form: Partner Faculty Eligibility Form for Students with Other Testing Needs. This form should be submitted for each exam, at least 5 days before the exam date. 

       2. The Testing Center Staff will check availability in the Testing Center and review the student exam requests starting 10 days before the requested exam date. Students with other testing needs will receive an approval or denial notification from oasustesting@rice.edu at least 5 days before their requested exam date.

3. The instructor uploads exam materials to the SDRC Instructor Portal (AIM) by 12pm the business day before the scheduled exam. Once uploaded, the faculty member will receive a confirmation email. 

   • • AIM will generate an exam upload request for each student, but you only need to upload the exam once and the Testing Center Staff will make copies. 

4. Students take their exam according to the exam parameters submitted by the instructor. 

5. Instructors will retrieve the completed exams digitally. 

   • • If you prefer to pick up the physical exam copies, please notify the Testing Center at oasustesting@rice.edu ahead of your first exam date.

Adding the Alternative Testing Agreement 

Faculty who plan to allow students to test in the Testing Center will need to complete an Alternative Testing Agreement:

1. Log in to the SDRC Instructor Portal (AIM) using your Rice NetID and Password: https://augusta.accessiblelearning.com/Rice/Instructor

2. Select “Continue to View Student Accommodations”

3. Select “Alternative testing”

4. Select “Courses without Alternative Testing Agreement” on the Alternative Testing Homepage OR select "Alternative Testing Agreement" from the top right banner.

5. Select “Specify” next to each course to fill out the Alternative Testing Agreement and add Exam Dates. You can add exam files later.

6. Answer the questions to communicate the desired exam parameters for students taking tests for your course.
   
   

Adding Exam Dates after you've completed the agreement

1. Log in to the SDRC Instructor Portal (AIM) using your Rice NetID and Password: https://augusta.accessiblelearning.com/Rice/Instructor

2. Select “Continue to View Student Accommodations”

3. Select “Alternative testing”

4. Select "Exam Dates" from the top right banner of the Alternative Testing Homepage 

5. Select the yellow "Handy Tools: Add Exam Dates" dropdown banner

   • • To add the exam dates for a single course, select that course and then select "Continue with Selected"

     • To add the same exam dates for a few courses, select those courses and then select "Continue with Selected"

     • To add the same exam dates for all of your courses, just select "Continue with All Courses"

6. On the next page, enter the exam details and upload the exam file (if available).

   • The "Approval Grace Period" refers to the exam scheduling window in which your students will be allowed to submit requests. 

     • For example, an exam date of 8/13 with an approval grace period of "Before or After 1 business day" means a testing range from 8/12 to 8/14. 

7. When you have entered all of the exam details, select "Save Exam Date" at the bottom of the screen. 

8. Once back on the main "Exam Dates" screen, you can:

   • Create multiple exam dates with the same exam details by selecting "Duplicate" to the left of your exam date. You will only need to enter the new exam dates without changing the other exam details.

   • You can delete an exam date by selecting "Delete" to the left of your exam date.

   • You can edit the exam details for any exam date by selecting "Modify" to the left of your exam date.

Editing the Alternative Testing Agreement and Exam Dates

1. Log in to the SDRC Instructor Portal (AIM) using your Rice NetID and Password: https://augusta.accessiblelearning.com/Rice/Instructor

2. Select “Continue to View Student Accommodations”

3. Select “Alternative testing”

4. Select "Alternative Testing Agreement" from the top right banner.

To edit the agreement:

1. Select “View” next to the course for which you want to edit the Alternative Testing Agreement.

2. Modify your answers to the questionnaire.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select "Update and View Exam Dates." 

4. Your changes have been saved.

To edit the exam dates and exam files:

1. Select “View” next to the course for which you want to edit the exam dates.

2. Select "List Exam Dates" located under the course title. You'll find a list of your exam dates.

3. Modify, duplicate, or delete exam dates and files for your course exams.

4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select "Save Exam Date." 

5. Your changes have been saved.