Overview

Howard Community College’s test center provides examinees with available, secure, accessible, and professional testing services and resources to enable participation in educational, career, and professional pursuits.  The center allows HCC students and other test takers to demonstrate knowledge, achieve certification, engage in professional development, enhance competencies, and partake in lifelong learning in an optimal testing environment. 

I.  Academic Testing

A.  Howard Community College Exams

The test center at Howard Community College is available for make up exams, exams for online courses, departmental and college-wide outcomes assessments, and for students requiring modified testing conditions due to learning disabilities, physical disabilities, test anxiety, or other appropriate circumstances.

Students must request that instructors send their academic exams to the test center.  The test center does not administer whole class exams except in the case of online courses or under extraordinary circumstances.  Exceptions must be requested by faculty and approved in advance by the director of testing or the director’s designee.

Faculty and staff must follow procedures for submitting exams and related instructions to the test center.  A test request form detailing administration instructions and deadlines must accompany all exams.  Academic make-up tests requiring a computer may be administered in the placement room as long as placement tests are not interrupted.  With the exception of extended testing time, all accommodations for students with disabilities must be arranged with disability support services, which will ensure that the appropriate accommodations are addressed in conjunction with the instructor and the test center.

Exams will be returned to faculty within 48 hours of their designated expiration date.  Exams must be picked up or dropped off by division staff on a daily basis by 10:00 a.m.

Academic makeup exams sent to the test center are available to students without an appointment during general office hours.  It is each student’s responsibility to arrive at the test center with enough time remaining to complete his or her exam before the center closes.  Students are required to sign in when they arrive.  The test center staff will enforce the exam times and deadlines given by the instructor. 

B.  Proctoring Services

Proctored testing is available during the test center’s general office hours for individuals needing an exam proctored on behalf of other institutions.  Students attending other institutions, who are interested in utilizing the center for exam proctoring, must e-mail the test center for approval prior to having their exams sent.  Once approval is granted, a permanent file is created and all test center personnel are informed.  The test center will work with the student’s institution to ensure receipt of exams, proctoring instructions, and any institution specific requirements.  No subsequent approval is needed once a student establishes the test center as a proctoring site.  A fee per exam is charged for proctoring non-Howard Community College examinations.  Information about the fee is available on the test center web page and in appropriate publications.  The fee is subject to change.

C.  College Level Achievement Tests

The test center administers the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP), and the Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), both of which give students the opportunity to earn college credit for what they have learned outside of the traditional classroom.  A fee is charged by the College Board for each CLEP exam; Thomson-Prometric charges a fee per DSST exam.  These fees must be paid by credit card at the time of test administration.  An additional institutional proctoring fee must be paid to the college cashier via cash, check, or credit card prior to administration of the test.  Students must bring proof of payment with them at the time of testing.  Information about these fees is available on the test center web page and in appropriate publications.  All fees are subject to change.

In order to ensure credit for CLEP and DSST, students, including HCC students, are advised to contact their institution’s admission or advising offices prior to taking an exam for appropriate exam type and required score.  The exams are generally offered year-round, except during final exam weeks and peak placement testing periods.

II.  Placement Exams

Howard Community College utilizes the untimed ACCUPLACER test to provide students with information about their academic skills in math, English, and reading.  The results of the assessment are used to determine placement for students in English and math courses and courses with English or math prerequisites.  Advisors meet with students to discuss their test results and course placements as well as other considerations based on placement results.  No fees are charged for placement testing.

III.  Professional Certification Exams

The test center is an Authorized Prometric Testing Center (APTC), administering examinations for information technology (IT) certifications.  Registration and exam specific fees are handled by calling the appropriate APTC registration number or via the Internet.  The test center is also a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) authorized test center.  Certification is available in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, and Project.  The fee for MOS exams is posted on the test center web page and in appropriate publications.  It is payable at the cashier’s office counter.  Fees are subject to change. 

IV.  Academic Honesty and Testing Irregularities

The student code of conduct policies are strictly enforced in the test center.  The staff monitors testing carefully in order to encourage academic honesty.  Cameras and monitors are also in use.  Incidents departing from the instructor’s exam directions and other irregularities or suspected irregularities will be reported to the instructor who will make the final determination and resolution in accordance with the college’s policies, including academic honesty and the student code of conduct.  The test center staff does not adjudicate such events; rather, it observes and reports behavior as necessary.

V.  Other

A.  Permission to be in the Test Center

Under no circumstances are children or additional personnel besides the examinee allowed in the testing area.  Authorized individuals involved in accommodations for students with disabilities may be in the center.

B.  Calculators

All calculators will be thoroughly inspected by test center staff and cleared of all memory.

Policy Manual Review/Revision:  09/14/07