Testing center initiatives implemented in the fall of 2014 will continue for the fall 2015 semester.

“It was pretty darn successful,” said Student Government President Dan Breitbarth in regard to the changes made last fall.

Melissa Gofforth, ISU alumna, former director of university affairs for Student Government and member of the committee formed last year, was the leader behind the number of testing center being expanded from 219 to 448.

Along with increasing the number of seats, initiatives included passing out gift certificates for students who took their tests before 10 a.m., camera footage of testing center hallways and opening up Durham 139 for faculty members to reserve for tests.

“We offered a gift certificate that they could take to [the Memorial Union] and get coffee or something like that. That didn’t seem to work, so I don’t think we will be doing that again,” said Douglas Bull, manager of the Engineering-LAS Online Testing Centers.

The addition of online feeds that show camera footage in hallways of the testing centers will remain because of their success.

“Cameras are in the hallways to show if there are lines, and we are also working on a method to actually let students know how many open seats there are,” Bull said.

Dead Week and Finals Week hours will remain extended as well. Bull said he believes the testing centers will be also be open Saturday and Sunday during Finals Week.

Bull said 70 to 75 percent of exams are taken between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This is similar during Finals Week, with the exception of Friday.

“We have limited capacity and we are doing everything we can to use that capacity as efficiently as possible,” Bull said.

Testing centers are open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays. 

“If the growth continues we are going to have to take an even more serious look at everything,” Breitbarth said.