The Centre for Academic Testing (CAT) partners with faculty and staff to ensure that all assessments—quizzes, tests, and exams—are delivered with academic integrity and accessibility in mind. We support over 7300 accommodated tests annually in Peterborough and rely on your collaboration to ensure timely, barrier-free access for all students.
Questions? Contact us at examcentre@trentu.ca
Using the SAS Faculty Portal
The SAS Faculty Portal is your central hub for managing accommodation-related exam needs. Through the portal, you can:
View students scheduled to write at CAT and their accommodations
Upload accessible, electronic versions of your test/exam (minimum 5 business days in advance).
Preferred Format: Please upload exams in Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) whenever possible. PDFs limit our ability to make accessibility adjustments.
Provide invigilation instructions and pickup preferences
Specify Scantron requirements (80, 100, or 150)
Preparing Your Test or Exam
We support a wide range of assessment formats. If your format isn’t listed below, contact us early to discuss how we can best support your students.
Essay / Short & Long Answer
Submit in accessible Word format
Avoid images or pasted graphics that may not work with assistive technology
Multiple Choice
Same accessibility guidelines as above
CAT provides Scantrons (80/100/150); bring your own if using a different version
Crowdmark (aka QR Code tests)
Notify CAT in advance
Provide printed copies for each student
Typically, two versions are submitted for distribution
Scratchcards
Supply scratchcards for each student
Early notice helps us support students who require scribes
Bell Ringers
Contact CAT early to coordinate
Some options we can discuss:
In-room proctoring for extended time
Laptop loans and USBs for computer accommodations
Universal design strategies (e.g., multiple station rotations); please advise students if your bell ringer is UDL.
Electronic File Naming Convention
Use the following format when uploading tests: [Date of test, Course Code, Exam Number, Professor Name]
Example: 2025-01-15_COIS1010_Exam1_ProfSmith.docx
Printing & Pickup
Printing: Upload your exam via the SAS Faculty Portal—CAT will handle printing
Pickup:
During term: OC 211, next business day
December/April: OC 207, 24 hours after the exam
Note: Same-day pickup is not available without prior arrangement
Please avoid picking up at peak times; as we are trying to get students to the appropriate exam rooms: 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM
Exam Confidentiality
If a student writes at a different time/date, you may request they sign a Confidentiality Agreement to confirm they will not:
Discuss or share exam content
Record or copy any part of the exam
Seek information from peers
Time-Shifting for Accommodations
Some students are approved for time-shifted exams due to disability-related needs (e.g. medication, one-exam-per-day). CAT may:
Move the second exam to the next available day
Adjust timing based on the student’s accommodation profile
Notify professors of any changes
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to submit my tests and exams 5 days before students write them?
During peak periods—such as midterms and final exams—the Centre for Academic Testing (CAT) supports between 10 and 230 students writing exams each day. To ensure a smooth and equitable process for all learners, we require at least 5 business days to prepare each assessment.
Here’s why:
- Individualized Packaging: Each test or exam is printed and placed in a labeled envelope for each student. This takes time and coordination, especially when managing large volumes.
- Assessment Accommodations: Many exams require formatting adjustments to meet accommodation needs. This may include:
- Enlarged font sizes
- Printing on coloured paper
- Uploading digital versions for assistive technologies
- Technology Compatibility: Some assistive technologies cannot interpret charts, images, or complex formatting. In these cases, we must return the exam to the professor for revisions—this is especially common in science and math-based courses.
When exams are submitted late, it becomes extremely difficult for our team to complete all necessary preparations, especially with limited staffing and resources.
We truly appreciate your cooperation in submitting exams as early as possible. The more time we have, the better we can support your students’ success.
Why do I have to wait 24 hours after the exam to pick up my tests?
The Centre for Academic Testing (CAT) manages a high volume of exams—on average, over 3,500 tests per semester. On any given day, we may be supporting between 1 and 40 different courses. This includes a wide range of assessment accommodations such as:
- Use of computers or assistive technology (e.g., speech-to-text)
- Alternative formats
- Individual testing rooms
- Extended time or staggered start/end times
Because of these accommodations, students may be writing exams in multiple locations across campus and at different times. During peak periods, we operate from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.), with 2 to 60 proctors—many of whom are new and still in training.
When a class finishes writing, it does not mean all students—including those with accommodations—have completed their exams. We cannot guarantee that all materials will be collected, verified, and returned to our central location within a short window.
Additionally, to maintain exam integrity and confidentiality, only a limited number of CAT staff and Head Proctors have access to our secure database to log exam counts and manage pickups.
Can I pick up exams earlier than 24 hours?
Yes—early pickup may be possible, but it must be arranged in advance. The earliest possible pickup is 2 hours after the last SAS accommodated student has completed the exam, and only if all materials have been returned and processed.
To request an early pickup, please contact CAT by email or phone at least 3–5 days in advance. We will confirm whether early pickup is feasible based on the exam schedule and processing status.
Why do you need my contact information (e.g., cell phone) when I submit my tests and exams?
Students registered with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) often write their tests and exams in separate locations from their classmates due to required accommodations. While necessary, this separation can create barriers to accessing important clarifications that might naturally arise in a regular classroom setting.
For example, during an exam, a student might encounter:
- A question that is unclear or poorly worded
- Multiple-choice questions with duplicate or missing answers
- Missing sections or unclear instructions (e.g., for essay length)
- Charts or diagrams that are difficult to interpret with assistive technology
- Corrections that need to be made
In a regular classroom, students can ask the professor directly. In our setting, we rely on your contact information so that our Head Proctor or a floating proctor can reach you quickly if a student needs clarification.
When contacted, we will briefly explain the issue. If appropriate, we may hand the phone to the student so they can ask their question directly. For simpler issues—such as numbering errors or ambiguous multiple-choice options—we’ll confirm the correction with you and then communicate it to all affected students across our testing rooms.
Providing your contact information ensures that SAS learners have equitable access to the same support and clarification as their peers. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain fairness and academic integrity.
Why is CAT asking for permission to reschedule or change the time/date of my test or exam?
The Centre for Academic Testing (CAT) may reach out to request a change to a test or exam time or date for several important reasons—most of which are related to supporting students with accommodations. Common scenarios include:
1. Accommodation Requirements
- Extended time: Some students receive up to double the standard time, which may require them to start earlier in the day to finish before CAT closes.
- Time-of-day accommodations: Some students are only able to write in the morning or afternoon.
- One-assessment-per-day accommodations: If a student has multiple tests scheduled on the same day, we may need to move one to the next available day. We always try to avoid conflicts with other scheduled exams.
2. Student Booking Errors
Students are responsible for booking their own tests through CAT. Occasionally, they may select the wrong date or time. In these cases, we rely on professors to confirm whether the booking is correct. If you notice an error, please contact CAT as soon as possible so we can make the corrections.
3. Missed Booking Deadlines
If a student misses the booking deadline (8 days before a regular test or 2 weeks before the start of the final exam period), they may not be able to write on the originally scheduled date. CAT will notify you if we catch this issue and will work with you to find a solution.
We understand that changes can be inconvenient, but they are sometimes necessary to ensure equitable access and academic integrity. We appreciate your collaboration in helping us support all learners effectively.
My quiz/test/midterm is only N = X minutes—why is a student booking additional time or on a different date?
The Centre for Academic Testing (CAT) does not have access to the details of your course assessments. Students are responsible for booking their own accommodated assessments, and occasionally:
- They may enter incorrect dates or times.
- They may book for the length of the class, not knowing the exact scheduled length of the assessment.
- They might manually add their extra time, not realizing the system automatically calculates it.
- They may request an alternate date due to a disability-related reason (e.g., flare-ups, medical appointments, or overlapping accommodations).
The CAT relies on you, the professor, to review and confirm or correct the booking details during the confirmation process. Please email the CAT to advise of the issue. This ensures that the assessment aligns with your expectations while still meeting the student’s accommodation needs.
You can help the CAT by correcting the length of the assessment as soon as you get a test booking notification.