University Policy 8170
Download a Printable Version of Policy 8170
Effective Date
January 21, 2021
Last Revision Date
January 08, 2024
Responsible Party
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1202
Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer, (208) 426-5775
Testing Center, (208) 426-2762
Scope and Audience
This policy applies to instructors who choose to use a Proctored Exam or Assessment, students who take courses with a proctoring requirement, and the Testing Center, which is responsible for facilitating the use of University-supported proctoring solutions.
Additional Authority
- Higher Education Opportunity Act
- DoD Voluntary Education Partnership MOU
- National College Testing Association (NCTA) Proctoring Guidelines
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
1. Policy Purpose
To establish instructor, student, and Boise State University Testing Center responsibilities related to Proctored Exams or Assessments and to provide guidelines for requiring, requesting, and scheduling a Proctored Exam or Assessment.
2. Policy Statement
Boise State University is committed to providing Proctored Exams or Assessments that ensure academic integrity, exam security, and define appropriate solutions for the university to provide students with access to proctoring solutions considering student location, physical ability, and time constraints.
3. Definitions
3.1 Proctor
An approved, neutral person who verifies the student’s identity and ensures all exam or assessment details are met such as date range, allotted exam or assessment time, and approved test aids.
3.2 Proctored Exam or Assessment
An exam or assessment supervised by a Proctor in person or administered through virtual proctoring.
3.3 Proctoring Solution
Any method for conducting a Proctored Exam or Assessment including in-person, which can be on-campus or off-campus, or virtual.
3.4 Virtual Proctoring
The use of online tools to proctor the exam such as recording, A.I. (artificial intelligence), or a remote live Proctor.
4. Proctoring Solution Responsibilities and Procedures
a. A Proctored Exam or Assessment must take place in the Boise State University Testing Center, or a computer lab or classroom at an approved physical proctoring location (off-campus proctoring), and/or through the use of Boise State University’s contracted virtual proctoring services.
b. For any fully online course that uses proctoring, the requirement for Virtual Proctoring is described in Section 4.3. In-person proctoring may be made available as an alternative for Virtual Proctoring in some cases (see Section 4.4).
4.1 On-Campus Proctored Exam or Assessment
4.1.1. Testing Center
Instructors may schedule a Proctored Exam or Assessment to be administered at the Testing Center through the exam submission process on the Testing Center’s website. The Testing Center proctoring staff will administer the Proctored Exam or Assessment and provide support for the selected Proctoring Solution.
4.1.2. Instructor
Instructors may conduct a Proctored Exam or Assessment in a quiet, distraction-free setting. The instructor or eligible proctor (see section 4.2.1) will administer the Proctored Exam or Assessment.
4.2 Off-Campus Proctored Exam or Assessment
The Testing Center will assist students in finding an approved proctoring location. Students can make this request by filling out a Proctor Location Form. Once an approved location has been found, the student must complete a Proctor Verification Form. The Proctor Verification Form will be sent directly to the instructor so that the exam details can be communicated to the approved proctoring location.
4.2.1. Proctor Eligibility
Eligible Proctors include the following:
- Members of the teaching faculty or educational administrators of a regionally accredited institution of higher education
- Staff members at a local college and/or professional testing center
- Corporate educational/training officers
- Embassy education officers
- Military base/station education officers, commissioned or non-commissioned officers of a higher rank than the student, commanders, or military base librarians
Individuals who are ineligible to serve as Proctors include the following:
- Relatives or friends with whom the testing student has a personal relationship
- Athletic coaches or members of the coaching staff
- Previous or current Boise State University students (unless the individual meets the eligible proctor qualifications and is not a friend or relative of the testing student)
- Coworkers, employers, or supervisors of the testing student
- Spouse or significant other of the testing student
- Past or present tutors of the student who is testing (unless the individual meets the eligible proctor qualifications and is not a friend or relative)
- Professional or classified staff who do not also hold teaching responsibilities
4.2.2. Location Eligibility
Proctored Exams or Assessments must be administered at an educational facility or at the Proctor’s place of employment. Special circumstances requiring an alternate location may be approved by the instructor.
4.2.3 Off-Campus Proctored Exam or Assessment Responsibilities
4.2.3A Instructor Responsibilities
a. The instructor is responsible for communicating all exam details directly to the approved proctoring location for each Proctored Exam or Assessment requiring face-to-face proctoring. Exam details include the name of the student, name of the exam, exam date duration, allowed time for the exam, approved test aids (calculator, notes, instructor handout etc.), exam URL, and exam password (if applicable). Exam details, including the exam password, must not be shared with the student.
b. The instructor must notify the student that additional charges may be required for the Proctored Exam or Assessment (see Section 4.3.2).
4.2.3B Student Responsibilities
a. Students are responsible for finding an approved proctoring location. Once the approved location and proctor has been found, the student must fill out a Proctor Verification Form and send it to their instructor.
b. Scheduling a Proctored Exam or Assessment, paying any required proctoring fees, and following proctoring location protocol are the student’s responsibility.
4.3 Virtual Proctoring
4.3.1 Testing Center Responsibilities
The Testing Center will provide information, as needed, to an instructor or student about the University’s contracted Virtual Proctoring service. Information about the contracted Virtual Proctoring service may be found on the Testing Center’s website.
4.3.2 Instructor Responsibilities
a. To make a Proctored Exam or Assessment available for Virtual Proctoring, the instructor must create an account with the contracted Virtual Proctoring service and submit exam details for each exam. For recorded exams, this information is integrated with Canvas and should auto-populate. For remote live proctored exams, the information has to be submitted manually. Exam details include, but are not limited to exam title, exam date duration, allowed time for the exam, approved test aids (e.g., calculator, notes, instructor handout, etc.), exam URL, and exam password (if applicable). Exam details, including the exam password, must not be shared with the student.
b. The instructor must communicate any additional costs associated with Virtual Proctoring to the student (see Section 4.2.3A).
c. If an instructor chooses to use a Proctored Exam or Assessment in a fully online course (requires no in-person class time), the instructor must offer Virtual Proctoring. in addition to any other proctoring solutions selected for their course.
4.3.3 Student Responsibilities
If the instructor requires Virtual Proctoring, the student will be responsible for scheduling the Proctored Exam or Assessment and paying any required fees, unless otherwise noted.
4.4 Alternative Proctoring Solutions
There are instances when an alternative to an instructor’s required Proctoring Solution must be made. These instances include but are not limited to the following:
4.4.1 Location Limitations
a. A student located outside of the U.S., or who is in a location with limited or no access to needed services, may require an alternative. If the student is required to take a Proctored Exam or Assessment and is unable to find an approved physical location, the student must submit a Proctor Location Form to the Boise State University Testing Center for assistance.
b. If the Testing Center is unable to locate an approved proctoring location within ten (10) miles from the student’s location, Virtual Proctoring must be made available unless the exam cannot be offered in an online format.
4.4.2 Approved Reasonable Accommodations
Virtual Proctoring must be allowed for any student approved to take online exams or assessments as an approved accommodation on file with the Educational Access Center (EAC). Questions about accommodations should be directed to the EAC.
4.4.3 Addressing Virtual Proctoring Concerns
If a student has concerns about Virtual Proctoring, they should inform their instructor who should consult the Academic Testing Center to discuss options. A student must notify their instructor as early as possible to discuss concerns and allow timely coordination of information and, if determined necessary, arrange an alternative Proctoring Solution. Ultimately, Proctoring Solutions are decided by instructors, including the necessity to provide an alternative Proctoring Solution to Virtual Proctoring.
4.5 Notice of Cost for Off-Campus and/or Virtual Proctoring
a. For any required off-campus and/or Virtual Proctoring, the instructor must notify students of the proctoring requirement and that additional charges may be required, if applicable, at the time of registration (g., through class notes in PeopleSoft).
b. The Testing Center can provide current pricing and sample language for both PeopleSoft and the instructor’s syllabus.
5. Forms
Proctoring Location Request Form
6. Related Information
Revision History
January 08, 2024