Congratulations to our University Testing Center Testing Coordinator Lauren Horton, who will graduate with a Masters of Science in Cybersecurity this weekend! She will be with us until the end of May before embarking on an exciting new career as a Cyber Systems Security Engineer for Lockheed Martin.
Lauren has been invaluable to the UTC since opening in Clements Hall last August. She will be missed by many on the Hilltop, and we wish her all the best for her continued success!
Good luck on finals, Mustangs, and congratulations to those graduating!
The University Testing Center will be open for the following hours during the summer.
Following University policy, the University Testing Center will be closed on Good Friday, April 7th. We will resume regular hours on Monday, April 10th. Visit smu.edu/testing for more details.
Opened for less than one academic year, the University Testing Center seeks to bring life and nature into the center this SMU Giving Day.
Our mission is to provide a secure and professional testing center, as well as one that is inviting, comfortable, and supports the emotional well-being of our students and community clients. In our first few months, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors about our facility in the Clements Hall basement.
Adding live foliage at our entrance would create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere in the testing labs.
Test anxiety is real. It’s a top psychological issue on college campuses far and wide and right here at home on the SMU campus. Nature and plants are proven by social psychologists to reduce stress and calm people.
At the UTC, we support academic and mental health needs for the most favorable outcomes possible. Can you help us reach our $4,000 goal of bringing more life into the center? Learn more and join us on March 7 for SMU Giving Day.
Following the undergraduate academic calendar, the University Testing Center (UTC) will be closed from March 13 through the 17th. The week after, March 20-24, will have adjusted hours from 8:30am to 4:00pm.
Reach out to universitytestingcenter@smu.edu or 214-768-6064 for any questions!
The University Testing Center welcomes to its team a new Testing Assistant: Yash Guptaa.
Yash will join returning Testing Assistant Matt Swigart in working alongside the Testing Manager and Coordinator to prepare testing rooms, materials, and equipment for test administrations according to individual requirements and accommodation guidelines. Testing Assistants will also proctor online and conventional pen/paper tests.
Yash says, “I enjoy working at the crossroads of travel and strategy. My interests include, but are not limited to, pen sketching, 8 ball, hiking, and stand-up comedy. I have experience as a business developer and budding entrepreneur. The previous few months at SMU have been nothing short of a delightful surprise in making valuable connections, and I eagerly await the next step in my path.”
We are glad to introduce you to the team as we jump into the new semester!
The University Testing Center (UTC) is back open for Spring 2023!
We will be hosting an open house from 2-4pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 in our office G15 in the basement of Clements Hall to welcome students and faculty back to campus. Catering will be provided as well as information regarding the policies and practices of the UTC.
Learn more about how the University Testing Center can support you and join us in celebrating the start of a new semester.
Happy 2023!
Following the undergraduate finals exam schedule for Fall 2022, the University Testing Center’s physical location in Clements Hall G15 will be closed for the remainder of December.
Questions and queries can still be sent to us via email or by phone and we will respond as promptly, within 1-3 business days.
Happy Winter Break and best wishes to all of our students!
The University Testing Center’s hours of operation will change for final examinations to accommodate an increased need for testing services.
Our facility and office will be open from 7:30am-7:30pm, with testing hours of 8:00am-7:00pm. This schedule will begin December 8th and conclude December 14th, with our center only closed on Sunday, December 11th through this period.
In summary, testing hours will be expanded to 8:00am-7:00pm on weekdays with the addition of Saturday. The center will be open 7:30am-7:30pm during that same schedule. You can view these updates on our website, smu.edu/testing.
The University Testing Center (UTC) is excited to announce its recognition as a certified testing center by the National College Testing Association (NCTA), valid through March 2024.
“We’re proud to be a member of the NCTA and to have received this distinguished recognition as a certified testing center,” said UTC Manager Lori Krone. “SMU is the only certified center in Dallas, and one of three in the greater D/FW area. We appreciate being recognized for our dedication to testing integrity and adherence to NCTA’s best practices in test administration.”
The certification is a rigorous, one-year accreditation process granted to those centers whose test administration policies are compliant with testing industry standards developed by the NCTA. Centers are evaluated using criteria from the NCTA’s Professional Standards and Guidelines that focus on the evaluation of the test facility, test integrity methods, test security, confidentiality practices, staff training, and public relations.
Krone says the distinction is not only important for the SMU community, but also to others as UTC expands its service offerings that will include professional testing for certification and licensure, proctoring for distance learners attending other universities, credit-by-exam placement testing, and school admission exams.
The National College Testing Association is a non-profit organization of testing professionals working in post-secondary institutions, in companies with test-related products and services, and in other professional testing venues. NCTA was organized in 2000 and currently has more than 3,000 members and has certified more than 300 testing centers throughout the country.