During this fall’s finals week, Purdue Testing Services (PTS) facilitated 2,627 accommodated exams in West Lafayette while the Disability Resource Center (DRC) facilitated 116 accommodated tests in Indianapolis. Managing these accommodations is a carefully orchestrated effort that involves multiple teams working behind the scenes all semester long.
At its core, accommodated testing is about creating the right environment for student success.
"Students need an environment where they can successfully perform on an exam. For students with disabilities, this often means adjusting the testing environment to meet their needs," says Dan Carpenter, assistant vice provost for Student Success Innovation.
The journey for students requiring accommodated finals starts at the DRC. Students who need accommodations meet with an experienced access consultant to have an in-depth conversation about their unique needs.
"Our office determines reasonable accommodations for students," explains director Mandie Greiwe. "A student may need more time, a different physical environment, or some particular auxiliary aid or service than others in the class.”
After appropriate accommodations are determined, students must send course accommodation letters to their instructors. While some instructors handle accommodations independently, they can also request support from PTS.
"We used to facilitate about 600 exams during finals week. Now, we do about 600 exams any given week of the semester," says Kelsey Jordan, PTS director.
The demand for accommodated testing has skyrocketed since Jordan arrived in 2015. For the Fall 2024 semester, PTS facilitated over 10,000 accommodated exams — 16% more final exams than the previous year.
"We're starting to see students utilizing their accommodations more because there is less stigma around disability," Jordan observes. “Both Purdue Testing Services and the Disability Resource Center have evolved from being transactional to becoming valuable campus resources.”
During finals week, Jordan's day begins her day at 6 a.m., preparing materials for multiple testing locations. She says every day poses new challenges, and no two days are exactly the same.
“A few years ago, we had a campus-wide blackout while we were running final exams on the eighth floor of Young Hall — with no elevators,” Jordan says laughing.
“I was constantly running up and down the stairs. We have also dealt with other power outages and even a fire in a building. At this point, not much surprises me, but I still plan for the unexpected every semester.”
But PTS doesn’t do it alone. The DRC staff and employees from across Student Success Programs pitch in to make final exams run smoothly.
"We have designated roles for every team member to ensure we're supporting PTS with anything they need," Greiwe says.
The operation relies on extensive collaboration between departments and instructors. Instructors play a key role in alleviating the pressures associated with coordinating accommodations. By submitting exams early and working collaboratively with Purdue Testing Services, they can help streamline the process and reduce last-minute complications.
“We're not trying to make instructors' jobs more difficult,” Greiwe says. “We want to support instructors’ and students’ needs."
As finals week concluded, the partnership between Student Success Programs, instructors and support staff proved instrumental in providing students with access to appropriate testing conditions. Through careful planning, dedicated staff and growing campus collaborations, the teams successfully navigated another finals season while upholding their commitment to both faculty and student needs.
Malini Nair
Communication Assistant for Teaching and Learning, tlcoms@purdue.edu
