Department of Mathematics

Instructor Exam Procedures For Students With Disabilities

This page details exam accommodation procedures for the following mathematics courses during Fall and Spring semesters: 17300, 17400, 22000, 22100, 22200, 22300, 22400, 23100, 23200, 26200, 26500, 26600, 27100.

Addressing exam accommodation requests

It is important to note that exam accommodations can only be met if:

  1. The Undergraduate Services Office (MATH 242) has received an accommodations letter from the student and
  2. The student files an Option Sheet no later than seven (7) days in advance of the exam.

NOTE: We strongly request students give their accommodations letter to the Undergraduate Services Office during the first week of classes or as soon as they receive it afterwards to aid in the organization of administering exams.

On the rare occasions that students must arrange for testing or grading conditions for which the Department is not prepared, they need to be directed to Course Coordinator who will work with the student and the DRC to determine what is appropriate.

The student must give the completed Option Sheet to Undergraduate Services Office (MATH 242) personnel in person. Do not accept these sheets yourself.

Sample Forms

Students must get Option Sheets from the Undergraduate Services Office (MATH 242). Sample forms will not be accepted.

Overview of the Procedures For Providing Academic Adjustments On Exams.

There are two types of exams for your class. Non-common exams are written by the instructor and given only to their sections. Common exams are written by the course coordinator or their designee and are given to all sections of a course.

Option Sheets must be filled out for both types of exams. However, the department only staffs special rooms for common exams. Students needing accommodations for daytime exams are sent to the ODOS Testing Center.

Non-Common Daytime Midterm Exams

The Testing Center is not open in the evenings. If you give non-common evening exams for your section(s) then you are responsible for accommodating students’ needs appropriately. See the relevant section below for further details.

  1. Before each midterm exam the student makes an appointment with the Testing Center (SCHL B42) to take the test there at approximately the same time as the exam time and fills this information out on the Option Sheet.
  2. You fill out Part 3 of the Option Sheet after the student fills out Parts 1 and 2 and return it to the student. Keep track of when students are taking exams in the Testing Center, this information is in Part 2 of the Option Sheet.
  3. The student turns the Option Sheet in to MATH 242 at least seven (7) days before the regular exam.
  4. You provide the appropriate exam accompanied with an Testing Center coversheet (also available in the Undergraduate Services Office) to MATH 242 at least three business days before the exam.
  5. If you indicate on the Testing Center coversheet that you are available for student questions then you must be available to answer your phone during the student’s appointment.
  6. The Undergraduate Services Office personnel drop off and pick up the exam at the Testing Center.
  7. You are notified via e-mail to pick up the exam for grading. Contact the Undergraduate Services Office if you do not hear from them after the student’s exam date to make sure the exam was taken.

Common Evening Midterm Exams

  1. Students must fill out an Option Sheet before the exam and turn it in to MATH 242 at least seven (7) days before the exam. If this is not done there will be no exam set aside for them.
  2. For students taking the common evening exam with accommodations, the department sets up special (proctored) rooms. This side of the Option Sheet does not require your signature.
  3. For makeup exams or accommodations that specify daytime exams, students take the alternate exam in the Testing Center (SCHL B42). Follow the steps for non-common midterms above. Include any deadline to take the alternate exam in Part 3.
  4. The Undergraduate Services Office personnel notifies instructors via e-mail to pick up exams that have not been machine scored for grading.

Final Exams

  1. Students must fill out an Option Sheet and turn it in to MATH 242 at least seven (7) days before the exam. If this is not done there will be no exam set aside for them. They fill out the side that has their course number listed.
  2. The department sets up special (proctored) rooms for students with exam accommodations. This side of the Option Sheet does not require your signature.
  3. For makeup exams or accommodations that specify daytime exams students take the alternate exam in the Testing Center (SCHL B42). Follow the steps for non-common midterms above. Include any deadline to take the alternate exam in Part 3 of the daytime side of the form.
  4. The Undergraduate Services Office personnel notifies instructors via e-mail to pick up exams that have not been machine scored for grading.

Non-Common Evening Midterms

If you hold an evening midterm exam for your sections you are responsible for acquiring separate room(s) and staffing them with graduate graders to accommodate students.

Do not allow students to begin taking the exam with the rest of the class then stay in the room or move to your office. It is strictly forbidden as it creates privacy concerns and makes an unnecessarily stressful testing environment for the student.

When you provide the proctored room students are not required to file an Option Sheet with the Undergraduate Services Office.

Preparing for non-common evening exams

Arranging for some accommodations takes forethought. Use the instructor instructions listed on the student’s letter to guide your preparations, but keep the following in mind.

  • Students who are bringing a reader or a scribe to the exam will need a room by themselves. Except for a proctor, there should be no one but the scribe and the student in this room.
  • Students who have room alone accommodations will need a room by themselves. Except for a proctor, there should be no one but the student in this room.
  • If their letter specifies that you must provide enlarged copies of materials, you must have a copy made of your exam enlarged to the size specified in the letter. Remember that the main office has a 1 business day turn around time for copies.
  • The student may need a special desk in this room. The instructor instructions on the letter will give you the resources to help you make sure the room you provide is adequate.
  • In distraction reduced environments proctors cannot move around the room or perform tasks that make noise, like typing or eating crunchy foods and must space students out.
  • Remember to schedule the room for enough time so that students are allowed all the time they are entitled to according to their accommodations.

Departmental policies for some accommodations requesting instructor action

  • Allow the student to use a calculator approved by the instructor, unless the intent of the exam is to test calculation skills.
    • When calculators are not normally approved for exams, students entitled to this alternate method of testing will be allowed a non-programmable, non-graphing calculator only.
    • Do not approve any other calculator.
  • Allow the student to use a list of instructor-approved formulas as a memory tool, unless the intent of the exam is to test recall and/or knowledge of such formulas.
    • For common and alternate exams: Course coordinators or instructors initial crib sheets to approve them for use during an exam. The proctor is instructed to collect and return these to the Undergraduate Services Office with the exams.