Student Information and Procedures for Taking Quizzes, Tests, and Exams with Accommodations

Hours and Location

Many tests are arranged by instructors providing accommodations. If an instructor cannot provide accommodations, or if you have scheduling conflicts, Disability and Accessibility Services (DAS) will provide your test and exams. These are proctored in the DAS Testing Center, which is in Maryland Hall 143.

DAS proctors tests by appointment between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Fridays. Occasionally an instructor will ask for different times and DAS might be able to proctor tests outside of the regular testing time if a proctor is available.

During finals week, hours and locations will change, so carefully read the information in your DAS database account or in the emails sent from the DAS Office.  DAS start times for finals are 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m.

Disability and Accessibility Services requires one week's notice from a student. In the rare cases where one week's notice is not possible (for example, a professor reschedules a test), DAS asks for the most amount of time possible.

Scheduling a Quiz, Test or Exam

Discuss your testing arrangements with your instructor after faculty notification emails have been sent. You do not need to contact DAS if your instructor agrees to provide your accommodations. If the instructor wants DAS to make the arrangements for your test continue on to the next step.

At least week before the test is scheduled communicate with your instructor about your plans to take your test with DAS. Also, one week before the test request a test proctored by DAS by logging into your DAS database account. Under “Accommodations Information” click “Request Accommodations (for students)”. Log into your DAS account and under “Alternative Testing” submit your request for a test proctored by DAS. If you have trouble, contact Taylor Thornton, Accommodations Coordinator, at trthornton@loyola.edu.

After you submit the testing request in your DAS database account, you will receive an email. Check your account 2 business days before the test to make sure your request is arranged.

If it is 2 business days or less from the date of the test and you do not see your test scheduled in your database account, contact Taylor Thornton, Accommodations Coordinator at trthornton@loyola.edu; Marcia Wiedefeld at mwiedefeld@loyola.edu, Abigail Hurson  ashurson@loyola.edu, Salima Clark at seclark1@loyola.edu.

In order to take a test at DAS on any day other than the scheduled in-class test date, it is necessary to obtain explicit approval from your instructor prior to submitting a request. Students who use the DAS online system to request a test time slot that is different from the scheduled in-class test time MUST enter an explanation in the “Exam Notes” box that informs DAS staff why the different time slot is being requested. The instructor will be able to see the note, so make sure you notify your instructor of the request for a different time before you request your test proctored by DAS.

For example: “My extended time accommodation for this test conflicts with my next class. Therefore I am requesting to start my test at 9:00 a.m. instead of the class start time of 11:00 a.m.”

Tests, midterms and finals must be taken at the same time as your class unless approved by your professor. DAS reserves the right to deny a request to change a start time during finals and keep the test time at its original start time.

If you need to reschedule a test you arranged with DAS, you must have instructor approval.

Pop Quizzes

If an instructor administers pop quizzes in a class or lab, students wanting to use their alternate testing accommodations for a pop quiz have three options:

1. Instructor provides testing accommodations to the student so that the quiz can be taken during class.
2. Instructor arranges for the student to meet outside of class to complete the pop quiz, during which the instructor provides testing accommodations to the student.
3. The instructor contacts DAS Accommodations Coordinator via email at least 48 hours prior to the class administered pop quiz to reserve a place for the student. (This is the only instance when an instructor can sign up a student for testing at DAS.)

Students wanting to access their alternate testing accommodations at DAS should notify DAS if their professor gives pop quizzes.

Before the Exam or Test

• Review your testing request confirmation email in your DAS account.
• Arrive 10 minutes before your schedule test time. DAS will not give you additional time if you are late.
• DAS will not proctor tests if you arrive more than 20 minutes late without instructor approval.
• Disability and Accessibility Services may check ID cards, so make sure you bring your Loyola ID card.
• Do not bring food or drink into the testing room.
• Limited small locker storage space is available for purses, walles, and other small personal items. Backpacks and jackets may be placed in a locker or on our hooks.
• Use the restroom and or get a drink of water before you start your test.
• Make sure you bring all approved test-taking materials (such as, pencil, paper, notes if allowed, etc.) into the testing room. The proctor will not allow you to access your belongings once you start the test.
• Double-check your testing accommodations and make sure they have been arranged according to your needs. Once you begin the test, we are assuming you have approved the arrangements.
• Ask for your end time before you start.
• Sign the statement that you understand Loyola's Honor Code. If a student is suspected of an Honor Code violation while testing with DAS, proctors are instructed let the student finish the exam. DAS will submit an Honor Code violation report afterwards to the student’s professor.

Students arriving early to DAS will not be allowed to begin their test before the scheduled start time.

During the Exam or Test

DAS will monitor the testing site with a live proctor and with cameras, which record the entire test.

Alert the proctor if there is a problem with your test (such as, adaptive technology not working, a missing page, etc.). Please note DAS proctors cannot give answers or opinions about questions on your test. Please note asking the proctors for extra time or for any other change to the testing arrangement can be construed as a violation of the Honor Code. You should direct your request to a DAS staff member.

The DAS proctor will try to give a 5-10 minutes warning toward the end of the test, but students are responsible for monitoring their own time.

If you are using a computer for written responses, please save responses to the desktop and save periodically during the test.

After the Exam or Test

Hand your test and all other testing materials such as scrap paper and approved cheat sheets to the proctor when you are done.

Please report difficulties you had with the test or test arrangements to the proctor before you leave. You can also report difficulties to a DAS staff member.

For students using a computer for short answer and essays, please confirm the document is saved to desktop and ask the proctor to save the exam on oour drive to print. Once the typed portion is saved by the proactor, delete the test from the computer. Hand in test questions and responses to the proctor. 

Using Adaptive Technology During a Test

Students taking exams are responsible for knowing how to use the software.

Please contact Marcia Wiedefeld at mwiedefeld@loyola.edu if you need to learn the basics the adaptive technology you are approved to use.

Please request the adaptive technology, which best suits, the test you are requesting.

The adaptive technology used most frequently includes:

• Screen reading software (e.g., JAWS, Read and Write Gold, and Kurzweil);
• Word processing software (e.g., Word);
• Screen magnifiers (e.g., Zoom Text); and
• Voice recognition software (e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking)

School Closing Policy

Single Day Closure

If a weather-related issue or emergency situation causes Loyola to close for one class day, then no tests scheduled at DAS during such a closure will be administered. DAS will reschedule all examinations for the next class day for the course, at the original requested start time, unless:

An email notification is received from the instructor with a new rescheduled date and time.

Or, the student sends an email to das@loyola.edu with a request to reschedule the date and time for the exam. All rescheduling requests are contingent on faculty approval.

Once a request has been rescheduled, a confirmation email will be sent to the student and the instructors Loyola email accounts.

Multiple Day Closure

If a weather-related issue or emergency situation causes Loyola to close for multiple school days, students should confirm new testing date with professor and reschedule accordingly.

No-Show For a Test

Students who do not show for their DAS proctored test will have the following options:

1. Submit a new online test request, contingent on instructor approval; or
2. Speak to professor about taking the test with him or her.

Graduate Comprehensive Exams (Comps)

Test requests for comps must be submitted following the one-week’s notice rule. The following 10 items must be included in the email to trthornton@loyola.edu:

1. Student name
2. Loyola University ID number
3. Loyola University email address
4. Course
5. Type of test – (test #2, final, graduate comp.)
6. Instructors name and email
7. Date of test
8. Exam start time
9. Course meeting time and duration
10. DSS approved accommodations requesting for this test

Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments about the test proctoring, or specific concerns please contact one of the following individuals:

Taylor Thornton, Accommodations Coordinator,  trthornton@loyola.edu

Marcia Wiedefeld, Director, mwiedefeld@loyola.edu

Abigail Hurson, Associate Director, ashurson@loyola.edu

Salima Clark, Assistant Director, seclark1@loyola.edu