By JOE GIDDENS
Kim Stevens has been working for Pima Community College since 2000 in registration and admission seasonally.
Later, she became full time in 2003, and has been at the West Campus Testing Center and Testing Center as a student service technician ever since.
We sat down with Stevens for an interview about the West Campus.
Q: About how many people use the testing center?
A: “It varies … sometimes we have 100 or more. During the midterms and finals, we could have 300, 400.”
Q: Are there any outside groups that have your proctor their tests?
A: “We do have other community colleges and universities that do use our campus because there’s a lot of online courses nowadays.”
Q: So, online courses for like the University of Arizona might have you proctor an exam?
A: “Yeah, UofA or Rio, Salado, that’s our largest one. Other companies, too, as well.”
Q: About how often do people try to cheat?
A: “Well, not too often, because we do have our cameras, so that helps. Some people might have tried, but once they see the cameras they’re like (holds up hands like Stop signs).”
Q: How do people try to cheat?
A: “Different ways that they might try to is entering their cell phone when you’re not supposed to. (That or) unauthorized notes.”
Q: What’s the worst reaction someone has had to a test?
A: “During that time that our computers were down a couple weeks ago. That was like really crucial for everybody logging on. They were afraid they was going to lose their tests. Especially people doing tests online.”
Stevens later added that the most challenging part of her job is “Technology when it’s down.”
when it goes down,”
Q: So what’s a typical day like for you?
A: “Steady, steady. Sometimes we do have it where I’m really busy, but I like it when it’s busy so it doesn’t interfere with me as long as I’m busy helping students, helping people.”
Q: What do the students need to bring to you to get the test?
A: “Their Pima picture ID. Make sure that they have their information from the subject to the instructor available. It makes the process a lot easier if they had that in.”
Q: What are some requests that faculty will make to the testing center?
A: “Sometimes we have special accommodations for students due to their sight or their hearing. Then they have to meet with ADR to make sure that they have this accommodation, and we will be able to go ahead and accommodate them appropriately.”
Q: Have you noticed any changes with how tests are done here?
A: “We’re getting more online tests, because I guess has become very popular due to the students, the lifestyle, whether it be work, whether it be family.”
Q: What do you do if someone tries to bring their children with them to the testing center?
A: “They’re not allowed to bring the students in there. They have to find another other means for someone either to care for them.”
Q: What do you wish that the student body in general was more aware about the testing center?
A: “More aware of our hours and make sure that they have communicated with the instructor to see when their test is available. Communication is the main thing between student and faculty.”
Q: Anything else in general you want to people to know?
A: “We do have preparation for the students to take prior for them coming in to take their placement test. ACCUPLACER’s website has a preparation test.
“We have free also packages for their chemistry, their bios’ guidelines and a practice test. We do have calculators for students to use in case they don’t have one for their particular tests. Both graphing and scientific calculators.”
Fall 2018/Spring 2019
Davis-Monthan: Mon.-Thurs.,
By appointment only, Base ac
cess is required.
Desert Vista Campus: Mon.-
Thurs., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Downtown Campus: Mon.-
Thurs., 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Fri., 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Sat., 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
East Campus: Mon.-Thurs.,
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Northwest Campus: Mon.-
Thurs., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fri., 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
West Campus: Mon.-Thurs.,
8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Exams are collected 15
minutes before close.