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Exam Accommodations

How can I use my accommodations for exams?

When a student first provides their instructor with their faculty notification letter, the student should begin discussing the best methods for how their exam accommodations will be implemented throughout the semester in that course with their instructor. For example, students should discuss whether their instructor can proctor the exams during office hours, or before/after class. 

At least one week prior to each exam, the student should follow up with his or her instructor to ensure their previously agreed upon arrangement is all set for the upcoming exam.

Students are reminded that it is their responsibility to make exam arrangements in advance of any exams to ensure that their accommodation can be provided. Failure to properly communicate and coordinate accommodations with their instructors ahead of time may result in the student’s inability to use their accommodations for their exam.

What if my instructor is not able to provide my exam accommodation?

Academic departments and faculty members are primarily responsible for providing testing accommodations to students with disabilities. As such, instructors should make every effort possible to proctor exams for students approved for accommodations by the Office of Accessibility ("OOA") and/or utilize other faculty within their department as alternate resources for proctoring exams with accommodations.

If an instructor and their academic department are unable to provide an exam accommodation for a student (ex. student requires the use of assistive technology due to their disability or temporary impairment), the student may request to schedule an exam at OOA, located in the Academic Commons, by following all of OOA's Exam Room Procedures and Policies outlined below.

OOA's Exam Room Policies

Exam Scheduling:

Once an instructor has completed an "Exam Agreement" on the instructor's Accessibility profile and the student has discussed with the instructor taking their exam in the OOA's exam room, the student must submit an "Exam Request" for each exam they need to take in an OOA's exam room. No student should complete an exam request without receiving permission from their instructor to take the exam with OOA.

Exams to be taken during the semester: Each exam request should be submitted by the student at least 1 week before their exam to ensure that there is a seat available for the student in OOA's exam room and to allow their professor time to send the exam to our office. Failure to submit the form one week prior to the exam may result in OOA's inability to proctor the exam due to the limited testing space and resources.  Our test proctoring hours during the fall and spring are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. during the semester. During the summer, our test proctoring hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Exams to be taken during finals week: Final exam requests should be submitted by the student at least 2 weeks before their exam to ensure that there is a seat available for the student in OOA’s exam room and to allow their instructor time to send the exam to our office. Failure to submit the form two weeks prior to the exam may result in OOA’s inability to proctor the final exam due to limited testing space and resources. Our test proctoring hours are 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. each day of final exams week (including Saturday).

If a student is unable to make their scheduled exam due to an illness, an emergency, or if taking the exam in class, the student should e-mail their instructor and ‘CC’/copy ooa@fairfield.edu on the e-mail. There is no guarantee that the instructor will permit a make-up exam. This policy also applies to lateness due to illness - students unable to take an exam due to illness or emergency should contact their instructor immediately. Students are responsible for coordinating the makeup of any missed exam or quiz directly with their instructor.

Day of Exam:

The test begins at the time originally requested, regardless of the time a student actually arrives, similar to what would be expected in the classroom. It is recommended for students to arrive prepared and at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of an exam. If a student forgets personal exam materials (i.e. calculator) and they leave before the exam starts to retrieve them, when they return they will only be given the remainder of their allotted time. The student is responsible for bringing their own instructor approved exam materials (ex. calculator). OOA and the offices located nearby are not responsible for providing students with these personal exam materials

When the student arrives to OOA in the Academic Commons of the Library, the student will check in with an OOA proctor. The OOA proctor will show the student where to drop off their personal belongings and will escort the student to the exam room where their exam will be monitored.

The ONLY items the student is allowed to bring into the exam room are items that have been explicitly approved by their instructor and/or are a part of the student’s accommodation. Students are encouraged to leave these items at their residence or will be required to leave these items outside of the exam room. Any unauthorized items brought into the exam room will be considered a violation of exam room policies. If a student has an extenuating circumstance, the student should discuss this with an OOA staff member prior to entering the exam room.

To maintain academic integrity and due to the variety of students with disabilities and temporary impairments we serve, it is imperative for these items to not enter OOA exam rooms as they could trigger allergic reactions and/or contribute to a distracting test environment.

The following items are not allowed into the exam room:

  • Cell Phones
  • Apple Watches and Smart Watches
  • Unauthorized notes, books, calculators, etc.
  • Any device that can be used for internet access/communication
  • Portable music devices
  • Coats/Jackets
  • Backpacks
  • Purses
  • Pencil cases/pouches
  • Hats
  • Food or Beverages

After a student has entered the exam room, the student is expected to remain in the exam room until they have completed the exam. If a student has any questions or accessibility needs which require them to leave the exam room at any point while taking an exam, the student is required to immediately check in with an OOA staff member. At the conclusion of the student’s exam, the student is expected to turn in all of the exam materials used for the exam (ex. including exam questions, scantrons/bubble sheets, etc.).

Academic Integrity:

Any student observed utilizing any unauthorized resources during an exam will be reported to their instructor. Any unauthorized notes or paper used during the exam will be copied and returned with the exam to the instructor. The student is not permitted to touch/move the camera that is located in the exam room. If the student is caught moving the camera, the student will be reported to the instructor and may be charged with academic misconduct. A staff member may come into the exam room at any time to perform a random integrity check. Any suspected evidence of cheating will be documented by the OOA proctor and the OOA staff will report the observed behavior to the appropriate faculty member(s). Students must also uphold all exam room policies, instructor exam policies, and all codes of academic honesty stated in the Fairfield University Student Handbook. All students registered with the OOA with alternative testing accommodations are required to sign an academic integrity agreement on their OOA Accessibility profile.

If a student is found in violation of any OOA exam room policies:

The student’s exam will be stopped, their instructor will be informed of the policy violation and an appropriate course of action will be determined by the student’s instructor. If a student is found to violate OOA exam room policies multiple times, it is within the purview of the Director of Accessibility to determine any additional course of action.

Alternative Testing/Exam Accommodation Questions:

If a student has any questions regarding their exam accommodations or exam room policies, the student is expected to reach out as soon as possible to OOA via e-mail at ooa@fairfield.edu and ‘CC’/copy their instructor on the e-mail.

Students can find step by step instructional videos for scheduling exams using their online Accessibility profile by navigating to my.fairfield.edu and selecting the "Student Instructional Videos for Requesting Academic Accommodations".

Academic And Student Resources

  • Academic Support and Retention – Offers Academic Skills Development trainings and a Group Peer Tutorial Program. Visit the ASR office in the Academic Commons, located on the main floor of the library, e-mail asr@fairfield.edu or call (203) 254-4000 ext. 2222 for a meeting
  • Writing Center – Peer tutors are available to help students work on any type of writing — from essays to lab reports. To make an appointment at the Writing Center, please call (203) 254-4000 ext. 2214, or go to the Writing Center located in the Academic Commons on the main floor of the library.
  • Math Center – Peer tutoring is available for statistics and first year calculus courses.  The Math Center is located in the Academic Commons on the main floor of the library.
  • Library – Brainstorming, researching, and citation assistance. Schedule an individual research appointment with a member of the library staff

Additional Campus Resources

  • Academic Advising – Faculty Advisor/Academic Staff (ASR)
  • Counseling & Psychological Services (203) 254-4000 ext. 2146
  • Campus Ministry (203) 254-4000 ext. 3045
  • Public Safety (203) 254-4000 ext. 4090
  • Health Center (203) 254-4000 ext. 2241

504/ADA Student Grievance Procedure

For further information regarding the 504/ADA Grievance Procedure, please click Student Handbook and navigate to part 3 of the section titled, "Special Accommodations/Policies for Students with Disabilities and Temporary Impairments".

University Designee

Fairfield University has designated Amanda Brahm as ADA Coordinator of Equal Opportunity and Compliance.

Contact Information

Dawn Floyd, J.D.

Interim Title IX Coordinator

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