Testing and Proctor Guidance

IMPORTANT NOTE: In response to the recent decision in the Ogletree v. Cleveland State University case, it is recommended that instructors remove the requirement for a room scan if they plan to give a proctored exam. To do this in Respondus, uncheck the Environment Check box upon activation of Respondus Monitor. When utilizing live proctoring through Examity, make a note for the proctor stating that a room scan is not required.


When proctoring an exam online, ensure that:

  1. One of the two supported proctoring services listed below is used. Do not proctor an exam through unsecured applications such as Zoom, Webex, or MS Teams.
  2. Students are never required to make their personal testing environments visible to their peers or to anyone other than the official proctor.
  3. Proctoring expectations and requirements are clearly stated in the syllabus that is distributed at the beginning of each term. Students should have plenty of time to make alternative arrangements if desired, such a finding a public testing facility.

Remote Proctoring

YSU offers two online proctoring and identity verification solutions, Respondus and Examity. These are the only two products currently supported by YSU. Use of Examity is limited to two high-stakes exams per course each term and live proctoring through Examity should only be used if it is a requirement for accreditation purposes. Use of Respondus is unlimited. To learn how to use these services, please see the instructions below or contact the Department of Cyberlearning's Instructional Design and Development Center at x1535 or e-mail jmalberti@ysu.edu or sadams04@ysu.edu directly.

Respondus

Respondus is an online automated proctoring service that is directly integrated into Blackboard. Respondus offers two products: LockDown Browser and Monitor. These products can be used independently or together depending on your needs. Use of Respondus is unlimited.

Resources for instructors

Quick Start Guide (Blackboard Original)
Quick Start Guide (Blackboard Ultra)

Resources for students

Quick Start Guide (Blackboard Original)
Quick Start Guide (Blackboard Ultra)
Troubleshooting Guide

Respondus Support

https://web.respondus.com/support/

Examity

Examity is an online live proctoring service directly integrated into Blackboard.

*Please note that that the use of Examity is limited to two high-stakes exams per course each term. Live proctoring through Examity should only be used if it is a requirement for accreditation purposes. Automated proctoring through Respondus LockDown Browser should fulfill any proctoring needs that are outside of these parameters.

Resources for instructors

Proctoring Levels Offered
Automated Proctoring Guide
Syllabus Language

Resources for students

Automated Proctoring Test Taker Guide
Live Proctoring Test Taker Guide
Technical Success Tips

Examity Support

Examity recommends first using their online chat feature within the Examity application for any support questions or technical issues.
Other options include:
support@examity.com
Phone: 855-EXAMITY


In-Person Proctoring

Youngstown State University is a member of the Consortium of College Testing Centers (CCTC) which is a service offered by our professional organization, the National College Testing Association (NCTA). It is recommended that you have your students check for local College Testing Centers at the Consortium before widening their search to alternative organizations. CCTC are trained test proctors and adhere to standards that guarantee exam security and a controlled environment.

Faculty can refer to this simple list to help them determine who is an appropriate proctor for their students:

Acceptable Proctors:

  • Official testing center at a college/university—including, but not limited to those listed at the CCTC
  • Certified librarians at a library, college/university, or school
  • College/university administrators, instructors, or academic advisors
  • Learning/tutoring centers
  • Educational officers of a corporation, military installation, or correctional facility
  • County extension offices

Unacceptable Proctors:

  • Relatives or spouses/partners/significant others
  • Friends and/or roommates
  • Co-workers or business associates
  • Peers
  • Undergraduate students
  • Athletic coaches
  • Anyone who does not have a professional email address (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. are unacceptable)
  • Anyone who cannot monitor the student during the exam