The University Testing Center will be closed on Monday, October 9th, and Tuesday, October 10th for Fall Break.
Testing will resume on Thursday, October 12th.
Good luck on midterms, and enjoy the break!
Category: University Testing Center
The 2022-23 academic year brought many exciting changes on the SMU campus, including a three-phased opening of the University Testing Center (UTC) in Clements Hall last August. During phase one, the center began providing accommodated testing services previously proctored by Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS), except scribe and reader tests.
This fall, phase two operations will expand testing services to student-athletes during their sport’s competition season, which necessitated a migration from DASS Link to a new test scheduling software to increase student group access.
The new UTC Portal offers a comprehensive, streamlined approach for delivering additional academic testing and credit-by-exam services to SMU students and local community partners during the phase three expansion in Spring 2024.
Watch our new video overviews for students and professors to learn more about our new system. Professors can schedule one-on-one consultations to be oriented to the new platform.
The UTC is certified by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and adheres to professional standards ensuring exam integrity and accessibility for both examiners and examinees.
As the University Testing Center (UTC) launches its second year of operation this fall, we are excited to welcome Amie DeRegge as our new Testing Coordinator!
Amie brings over 20 years of experience in student academic records management, having served as a Texas charter high school registrar. Her passion for serving students and her strengths in data management, multi-tasking, and customer service make her a tremendous addition to the UTC team.
“I’m so happy to work in the University Testing Center. I love the culture and spirit of SMU and look forward to helping our students reach their academic goals for success in life,” Amie said.
Amie’s arrival at the UTC coincides with more new changes coming to the UTC this fall. In addition to providing testing services to students receiving accommodations from DASS (Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies), the center will expand testing services to student-athletes during their sport’s competition season. A migration to test scheduling software in the new UTC Portal will provide additional academic testing and credit-by-exam services to SMU students and the local community.
“It’s an exciting time to be at the UTC and be a part of its growth,” Amie said. “It provides yet another opportunity to become immersed in the life of SMU.”
Amie enjoys spending time outdoors in her spare time, vacationing with family on the beach, being “Minyama” to her grandkids, and having fun with her pets Sparky and Doc. She and her husband, Andrew, are proud Mustang parents to their daughter, Molly, an incoming freshman and member of SMU Cheer.
The UTC is certified by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and adheres to professional standards ensuring exam integrity and accessibility for both examiners and examinees.
Undergraduate Education and Academic Success is a branch within the Office of the Provost’s Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success which oversees a wide range of academic support and engagement offices and initiatives.
Our 2022 – 2023 offices and initiatives included:
- First-Generation Initiatives
- University Testing Center
- Office of General Education
- Mustang Scholars Program
- SMU in Four
A copy of the annual report is included below and is available for download.
Questions, comments, and feedback can be directed to Dr. Dustin Grabsch (dgrabsch@smu.edu).
We’re looking for a full-time Testing Coordinator to support the University Testing Center (UTC) this Fall! The position was formerly occupied by Lauren Horton, who received her Masters of Science in Cybersecurity in May. Lauren will be missed by many as she leaves the Hilltop for new adventures ahead, and we are forever grateful for her wonderful contributions to our center.
We continue to serve our students needing accommodated testing services as we have since opening our doors last August. In the coming months, we will expand our services to other groups, including SMU student-athletes needing makeup testing while away for their sport and non-SMU distance learners, and professional examinees in the community needing fee-based proctoring services.
Some of the many things our new team member will do:
- Prepare testing labs, materials, and equipment for paper-based and computer-based tests;
- Manage daily electronic test registrations, reschedules, cancellations, and testing lab capacity;
- Manage electronic receipt and return of exam materials;
- Perform check-in procedures, electronic test proctoring, and confidential test security protocols;
- Assist with phone inquiries, email inquiries, and walk-in inquiries;
- Troubleshoot and document testing issues and irregularities;
- Maintain security and confidentiality of student records, information, and accommodations;
- Publicize news and events through blogging, website, and campus marketing resources
Our ideal applicants will have:
- Ability to learn software for test scheduling and computer test administrations;
- Experience in website development, database systems, blogging and online file storage and manipulation;
- Proficiency in MS Office;
- Ability to interface with a diverse constituency of students, parents, faculty and staff;
- Willingness to work additional hours during peak testing times and as needed to support testing center operations
Please consider, share with your offices, and post within your professional networks.
Deadline: July 7, 2023
Priority consideration to submissions received by June 27, 2023
Hiring Point of Contact: Lori Krone (lkrone@smu.edu / 214-768-2269). See the job posting in the SMU Staff Career Portal.
Categories
Academic Center for Excellence Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies First-Generation Initiative Hilltop Scholars Mustang Scholars National Fellowships Office of Engaged Learning Office of General Education President’s Scholars Rotunda Scholars SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs Student Success & Retention University Advising Center University Honors Program University Testing Center
SEAS units begin migration to new SMU-branded web pages
In partnership with the Office of Information Technology, Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) began migrating unit websites to the new SMU-banded web pages.
As part of the brand migration, the SAES Marketing, Communication, and Digital Technology committee worked with unit webmasters to assist with a site content refresh (e.g., text, pictures, layouts). The committee recommended reorganizing navigation and pages based on Google Analytics data of high-traffic pages. As part of the process, broken links, spelling, SEO optimization, SMU web governance, and site navigation are also being addressed. Finally, professional headshots and employee biographies will be added over the summer.
Beginning with the SAES main navigation in late May, all units will be migrated over the course of the summer and early fall terms.
Last week, the following unit websites were completed:
- Office of Engaged Learning
- Office of General Education
- Common Curriculum
- University Curriculum
- General Education Curriculum
Scheduled to migrate on or around the dates listed below will be:
- June 23:
- University Testing Center
- University Advising Center
- July 21:
- Academic Development of Student-Athletes
- Office of Student Success and Retention
- August 11:
- Student Academic Success Programs
- Office of Undergraduate National Fellowships
- September 1:
- University Honors Program
- First-Generation Initiative
- Scholars’ Den
- September 22:
- President’s Scholars
- Rotunda Scholars
- Mustang Scholars
- Hilltop Scholars
Please pardon our dust during this transition. If you discover broken links or issues, please direct them to academicsuccess@smu.edu to be routed appropriately. The next communication on the webpage migration will be once all SAES units have been completed.
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.
- Operations: 8am to 4pm Monday through Friday
- Testing: 8:30am-3:30pm Monday through Friday
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.