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Cornell University

Undergraduate Education

Alternative Testing Program

In response to growing demand from instructors for help in managing logistics for accommodated testing, the Alternative Testing Program (ATP) was piloted in the fall of 2022. With a great deal of input from patient faculty and with no designated physical testing center, the pilot has since developed into a full-fledged program that hires and assigns exam proctors, reserves classrooms for administering accommodated tests, coordinates scheduling with students and faculty, and manages all related communications for hundred of courses. 

The ATP team works diligently to:

  • Gauge the need and capacity for accommodated exam support of undergraduate and graduate-level courses that elect to participate in the ATP
  • Support faculty and course staff by centrally managing and administering exams for students that wish to utilize their SDS-supported exam accommodations
  • Ensure student exam accommodations are uniformly and individually fulfilled while maintaining high academic standards expected of all University students  
  • Develop and implement individualized exam accommodations for students requiring fulfillment of complex or multi-faceted accommodation needs

Faculty report that "having someone else deal with everything took away a lot of stress", that "the service saved significant time", that "it reduces the amount of work for me to accommodate the SDS request" and that "testing locations and proctors were convenient, reliable, and very helpful."

We invite you to read more details of the ATP for faculty and for students.