The new test retake and grade policies have caused the testing center to explode in use over the course of last semester. According to Student Supervisor Kathy Bruno, who oversees operations within the testing center, “The number [of students] has doubled in one semester opposed to last year’s entire year,” Bruno said. This new influx of students however has caused some strain on the mechanics of the testing center.
At the beginning of this year the testing center was moved from its non-ADA compliant space above the PE hallway to the third floor C hallway. While this change was required in order to make the facility more accessible, it also brought with it a huge downgrade in terms of size. This shift in capacity coupled with the increased demand for test retakes has caused queues of students waiting to take a test to form.
Junior Natalia Restrepo was out of school due to a concussion towards the end of the last semester causing her to miss tests in her various classes; in turn requiring her to make them up in the testing center. Restrepo cites the openness of the new testing center space as part of her gripes. “The long lines and loud chatter were inconvenient at best and detrimental to my ability to perform at worst,” Restrepo said.
She went as far as to describe these distractions as “a borderline reality tv show happening in front of [her],” Restrepo said.
While the first semester saw a multitude of issues and problems arise at the testing center, many are optimistic that changes to testing center policies are going to bring forth welcome change. One such policy is the removal of ‘walk-ins’ to the center. South students will now be required to make an appointment through their student portal in order to use the testing center. “We’re hoping with the appointments that students are not waiting in line [and] we don’t have to turn anyone away cause the seating is limited,” Bruno said.
Student opinions on these new policy shifts do vary however. “I can’t imagine how they are going to account for all the people who need to take more than one test. Furthermore, this does nothing to solve the problem with constant distractions. This seems like a nightmare at the end of the year when everyone is trying to finish up tests,” Restrepo said.
Junior Addison Weinstein also voiced his opinion on these new policies. “I think [the appointments] will improve the line but it may discourage some students from taking advantage of the retake policy,” Weinstein said.
While it is still far too early in the semester to gauge how exactly changes to the testing center are going to affect South as a whole, opinions on these changes continue to vary. Students and faculty alike are yet again awaiting the results of corrective administrative changes to procedures within DGS.
