Students going to take exams in the Computer-Based Testing Center in Himes Hall may notice some changes as the first exams of the semester approach. David O’Brien, assistant director of computing operations for the Office of Assessment and Evaluation, said there are two changes that would impact students. Firstly, the center has stopped supplying calculators for students. The second change is that professors must specify how much scratch paper students need and pay for the paper. “When we first started the testing lab we envisioned nothing in, nothing out,” O’Brien said of the original decision to supply calculators for students. He said the center eventually reached the point where it had to buy 150 calculators a semester because calculators were disappearing. He also said students would wait in line to use a calculator because the demand for the devices was so high. O’Brien said the reason why professors must now pay for the cost of the scratch paper is “pure economics.” The cost is four cents per student per exam. “We were spending over $5,000 a year on scratch paper,” he said. When requesting scratch paper, professors must specify whether they want two, three or four sheets of paper. The paper is legal 8-and-a-half by 11 size, O’Brien said. Nutrition sophomore Amanda Clarke said she thinks making teachers pay for paper is “ridiculous,” and that the tuition students pay should cover costs for the testing center. Kinesiology sophomore Hannah Lambert agrees with Clarke, and said it’s impossible for teachers to know how much paper a student will need. “Every person is going to use a different amount,” Lambert said. Clarke said she does not agree with the decision to not offer calculators, but she understands the choice. “It makes sense because you’re going to need it in math class,” she said. Lambert said students should always carry a calculator in their backpacks, but sometimes students forget them, so the testing center should have calculators available. Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said the reason for the testing center’s changes can be attributed to the budget crisis. “I think it’s always nice for the University to provide equipment and other amenities for students, but I think the No. 1 lesson we can take away from this is that this is one of the consequences from the budgetary situation we find ourselves in,” Cope said. He said most students can go to Walmart, Best Buy and other stores to buy a calculator for around $15. Cope acknowledges that many people are going through some kind of hardship right now. Cope said although the issue of calculators and scratch paper is minor, it is a problem. “We are now beginning to see the dangers and absurdities of where the budget situation is going to take us,” he said.
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