Rules and Conditions
Rules and Conditions
Unapproved Devices
No phones, watches, or electronic devices allowed in the testing area. Phones, watches, and electronic devices should be turned off and stored with personal belongings outside of the testing area.
This includes but is not limited to:
Cell phones
Computers
Tablets
Bluetooth or wired headphones (over-ear or earbuds)
Smart watches (e.g., Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Google Pixel Watch, etc.)
Fitness trackers (e.g., Fitbits, Garmin Fitness Trackers, etc.)
Smart glasses (e.g., Meta Glasses, etc.)
Any electronic device that connects to the internet and/or makes noise.
Students with an accommodation for Access to Phone for Medical Device Monitoring During Exams are permitted to bring approved phones, watches, and/or electronic devices into the testing area as needed for the express purpose of medical device monitoring. Students with this accommodation will be required to silence their device(s) and store them in plain view, typically on a phone stand provided by EPC Staff, for the duration of their exam.
Personal Belongings & Storage
No bags, backpacks, coats, or outerwear allowed in the testing area. Students are required to store all personal belongings outside of the testing area before beginning testing.
During the semester: all exams scheduled at the EPC take place in the main EPC testing rooms in Living/Learning A Building. For these exams, all personal belongings should be stored in the EPC Coat Room in Living/Learning A170. The EPC Coat Room is under 24-hour video surveillance to protect student property.
During Finals Week: exams may take place in a variety of locations across campus. Personal belongings may be stored in the EPC Coat Room(s) or in other designated locations depending on the student’s scheduled exam location.
Hats, Hoods, & Sweatshirts
Hats, hoods, and sweatshirts are allowed in the testing area, but students should be prepared to demonstrate at any time before, during, and after testing that hats, hoods, and sweatshirts do not contain any unapproved items or materials. EPC Staff may request removal of hats, hoods, and sweatshirts and reserve the right to conduct pocket checks as needed to ensure academic integrity and adherence to EPC Rules & Conditions.
To demonstrate that a hat or hood does not contain unapproved items, remove the hat or hood and show it to EPC Staff.
To demonstrate that a sweatshirt does not contain unapproved items, show EPC staff that the pockets are empty.
Earplug, Earmuffs, and Headphones
Earplugs and noise-reducing over-ear earmuffs are allowed in the testing area. The EPC provides individually wrapped foam earplugs at the front desk and noise-reducing earmuffs at each seat in the main EPC testing area for students to use as needed.
Students are permitted to bring their own earplugs and/or noise-reducing over-ear earmuffs to use at the EPC, but only non-electronic, analog earplugs or over-ear earmuffs that do not connect to Bluetooth or the internet and do not transmit sound.
AirPods set to Noise Cancellation, other in-ear ear buds, and over-ear noise-canceling headphones, even if disconnected from Bluetooth, are not permitted for use as earplugs or earmuffs in the EPC.
Loop earplugs and other similar analog personal earplugs are generally permitted for use.
If students wish to bring their own earplugs or earmuffs to the EPC, they are strongly encouraged to contact EPC Staff in advance of any scheduled tests via email and/or stop into the EPC with their earplugs/earmuffs for staff to check compliance with EPC Rules & Conditions.
EPC Staff reserve the right to inspect any student-provided earplugs and earmuffs for compliance with the specifications outlined above and may deny use of student-provided equipment if unable to confirm compliance.
Food & Beverages
Only clear, unflavored, flat water is allowed in the testing area. No other food or drink is allowed in the testing area.
This includes but is not limited to:
Candy
Cough drops
Chewing gum
Coffee
Tea
Energy drinks (including yerba mate)
Soda
Seltzer and sparkling water, and
Vitamin Water.
If EPC Staff reasonably suspect that a beverage does not meet EPC Rules & Conditions, EPC Staff reserve the right to require the beverage to be stored outside of EPC testing areas during testing.
Additional Materials: Notes
No unapproved materials not specified by the instructor* for the exam allowed in the testing area. Please note that proctoring conditions may vary from exam to exam and materials that were approved for prior exams may not be approved for additional exams.
This includes but is not limited to:
Note cards or note sheets,
Formula cards or formula sheets, and
Unapproved calculators.
The EPC follows exam proctoring instructions sent in by instructors for each exam. If the instructor does not specify to the EPC that a material should be allowed for the test (i.e., formula sheet, notes), but the student can produce written permission from the instructor (i.e., an email, or a course Brightspace post) to use the material, it will be allowed for use at the EPC if EPC staff can verify the provided instructor permission.
Additional Materials: Calculators
Students are permitted to use a large variety of calculators during exams at the EPC (per instructor permission), but some calculator models and features are not permitted.
Calculator models, features, and specifications not permitted include:
Laptops, tablets, cell phones, smartwatches, or wearable technology of any kind.
If the only calculator the student has is on a phone/watch/etc., the student may borrow a calculator from the EPC for use during testing (per instructor permission).
Calculator models that can access the internet, have wireless, Bluetooth, or cellular connectivity, audio/video recording/playing capabilities, camera, or any other smart phone features (e.g. touch screen).
Calculator models that use power cords, other cables, electrical outlets, make noise, or print.
Calculator models with dedicated letters or keyboards
Models with X, Y, Z, etc. keys for quick variables are permitted.
TI-Nspire calculators are permitted only with explicit instructor permission.
Students are not permitted to use multiple calculators during testing without permission from EPC Staff.
If a student needs to use multiple calculators during testing, they must make it known at check-in.
If students bring their own calculator to use during testing, EPC Staff will inspect the calculator and any sleeves, covers, cases, jackets, and other attachments. If unapproved materials are found written on, held within, or attached to any part of the calculator, EPC Staff will require the student’s personal calculator to be stored with personal belongings during testing and will provide an EPC-issued calculator of equal capabilities to use during testing.
EPC Staff will inspect all permitted materials prior to testing.
Pens, Pencils, & Pencil Cases
Students are permitted to bring additional pens, pencils, erasers, etc. as needed, but pencil cases are NOT allowed in the testing area.
If students have pencil cases, they must remove all items they wish to bring into the testing area and store the pencil case with their personal belongings outside of the testing area.
Students are required to confirm and demonstrate that they are not storing any unapproved items or materials anywhere on their person before entering the testing area. EPC Staff reserve the right to conduct pocket checks as needed to ensure academic integrity and adherence to EPC Rules & Conditions.
Restrooms, Hydration, and Breaks
Students are strongly encouraged to use the restroom and/or fill water bottles as needed prior to entering the testing area to reduce distraction for other students and encourage efficiency with test time.
Although students are strongly encouraged to use the restroom prior to testing, all students are permitted to take brief breaks during exams. Only students eligible for Breaks During Exams accommodation will receive stop-the-clock breaks. Non-accommodated breaks will count against exam time. Students may be accompanied by EPC Staff during breaks.
During breaks, students are required to remain within Living/Learning A Building.
If accompanied by EPC Staff, students may request to exit the building, but must remain within ten (10) feet of the entrance to Living/Learning A Building.
Students are required to check in with EPC Staff before taking a break and before returning to the testing area.
Before testing, students are not permitted to use the restroom within the EPC Main Office in Living/Learning A170.
During testing, students are generally not permitted to use the restrooms located in Living/Learning A Building lobby without express permission from EPC Staff.
Students are not permitted to access phones, watches, electronic devices, or other unapproved items or materials during breaks.
Students are permitted to eat and/or drink during breaks outside of the testing area as needed. If students need to retrieve food/drink from their personal items during a break, they must be supervised by EPC Staff when doing so.
Total amount of break time generally should not exceed ten (10) minutes per hour of exam time (unless permitted by approved accommodation).
Ten (10) minutes per hour of exam time is an approximate designation that may differ between individual students, individual exams, and per accommodation.
Students should be prepared for EPC Staff to request a pocket check before or after taking a break during testing.
Scrap Paper & Exam Materials
The EPC will provide all scrap and lined paper to students to use during exams as applicable. EPC-issued scrap paper is typically blank colored paper and EPC-issued lined paper is typically printed wide-ruled white paper with an EPC heading. Students are not permitted to bring their own scrap or lined paper into the testing area. All provided scrap and/or lined paper must be returned with exam materials at check out.
Students must turn in all exam materials to EPC Staff at check out.
Exam materials that must be turned in at check out include, but are not limited to:
Exam documents
Answer sheets
All issued scrap paper
All issued lined paper
Green/Blue Books
Written responses
Note sheets/cards (as applicable).
Student-generated note sheets may be returned to students upon request per instructor permission.
The EPC will not release completed exam materials directly to students without explicit written instructor permission. If students wish to receive a copy of any exam materials collected at check out at the EPC, they should contact their instructor directly.
Academic Integrity
All students are required to adhere to all University of Vermont student codes and policies, including the Code of Academic Integrity, while testing at the EPC. For more information about academic integrity at the EPC, please review the EPC Academic Integrity Statement page in full. All observed and suspected incidents of academic dishonesty and/or violations of the University of Vermont’s Code of Academic Integrity and/or the Exam Proctoring Center Rules & Conditions while testing at the EPC will be reported by EPC Staff directly to the instructor and the Center for Student Conduct. Students’ assigned SAS Accessibility Specialist will additionally be notified of the report.
This includes but is not limited to:
Being found during testing with any unapproved item(s) or material(s),
Providing test information to or seeking or accepting test information from other students during testing,
Technology misuse during testing.
All students are required to adhere to all University of Vermont student codes and policies, including the Code of Student Conduct, while testing at the EPC. All observed and suspected violations of the University of Vermont’s Code of Student Conduct while at the EPC will be reported by EPC Staff directly to the Center for Student Conduct. Students’ assigned SAS Accessibility Specialist and/or relevant course instructor(s) may additionally be notified of the report as applicable. Failure to adhere to University policies may result in progressive discipline measures for involved student(s).
Students are expected to respect everyone at the EPC, including other test-takers and all EPC Staff.
At check in and check out, please refrain from reading other students’ personal information and/or exam materials.
In the testing area, please refrain from making unnecessary noise.
If you are experiencing distracting behavior during testing at the EPC, please speak to EPC Staff before checking out. If EPC Staff are alerted to distracting behaviors while they are occurring, EPC Staff will directly address issues in the moment, but it is much more challenging to address students’ concerns about distractions in the EPC testing environment after they have finished testing.
All students utilizing the EPC are expected to comply with the instructions given to them by EPC Staff. This does not prohibit curiosity or asking questions of staff in good faith. If a student has reasonable concerns about what an EPC Staff member is asking them to do, they should request to speak with the staff member’s supervisor(s).
Students are expected to use respectful language when discussing all University community members, including other students, staff, and instructors, while at the EPC.