December 22, 2021
This message is distributed to All-Instructors, Department-Chairs, and Academic-Department-Managers. (Click here to view description of distribution groups.)
The following is being sent on behalf of Michael Miller, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education
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I am writing to clarify the recent memo about Disabled Students Program (DSP) protocols and the Testing Center. The original goal of the Testing Center was to provide dedicated spaces for DSP exam accommodations, and to relieve some of the burden that departments and departmental staff were facing in trying to find those spaces themselves.
I want to assure departments that the Testing Center will continue to provide this important service with dedicated spaces for DSP exam accommodations. However, due to some problems with the scheduling software, RegisterBlast will be temporarily discontinued and the registering and delivery of exams will go back to the DSP portal system.
The Testing Center, which began its operations shortly before the pandemic, faced enormous challenges in the Fall Quarter, mainly due to the tremendous volume and complexity of DSP exam accommodations. Although many departments appreciated the services of the Testing Center, some students experienced challenges with the registration system, and we need to ensure that DSP exam accommodations guarantee students full and equal access.
While DSP resumes operational control of the scheduling of the exam accommodations, the Testing Center will continue to provide classroom spaces for DSP exam accommodations, and will work closely with departments to increase the inventory of spaces for private room accommodations. We will assess our systems and protocols with the goal of establishing a successful partnership of departments, DSP, and the Testing Center designed to ensure student access and lessen the logistical burden on faculty and staff.
We are grateful to the dedicated and hard work of the Testing Center and DSP, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we refine systems and protocols in the Winter Quarter. More information will follow as we approach Winter Quarter midterm.
Thank you,
Michael Miller
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education