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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Message from the President
NCTA Book Study
Division Updates
Test Center Certification
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A Message from your President!
 With spring upon us, most of us are nearing the end of the semester, putting another year in the books. As we all know, as soon as one academic year closes, another begins.
NCTA is preparing for the new academic year, which kicks off with NCTA’s second virtual conference. The 2021 conference will be held August 10th through 13th. This coming academic year should bring many exciting enhancements to the virtual format including a new conference platform that supports attendee engagement through networking, an improved virtual vendor exhibition hall, and simultaneous live sessions. This virtual conference will be a great opportunity to share your knowledge, experience, and expertise with our membership. Consider this the year you submit a proposal to present.
While we hope that the 2022 conference will be in-person, the virtual format does come with some benefits, such as increasing the accessibility and reach of the conference. This format will enable us to bring NCTA to those who may not normally attend the conference. It is a great opportunity to offer professional development for your staff and involve leadership or local affiliates of your test center.
Even though it will be one more year until we see each other in-person, the Governing Council continues to provide services to membership and further the organization. Highlights since the last newsletter include:
Membership Survey
The Growth and Outreach Division completed the administration of a membership survey in 2020. The 2020 Membership Survey along with the 2013 Membership Survey is available on the NCTA website.
NCTA Grants
The Grants Committee continues to accept applications for NCTA Grants through April 30. This service for NCTA members is a great opportunity to further your test center and professional development.
NCTA Proctoring Network (a rebranding of the CCTC)
The Professional Services Division has updated the NCTA Proctoring Network (NPN) service, which includes a name change from the Consortium of College Testing Centers (CCTC), updated search tools on the NCTA website, and a new logo.
Strategic Plan Updates
The Strategic Planning Committee has met to begin developing a new plan that will guide the organization over the next four years. NCTA members will be invited to share feedback on the new plan once it is developed.
Lastly, NCTA elections are approaching. This year, we will be running elections for three board members positions as well as President-Elect. The Governing Council encourages everyone to take a look at the candidates and vote.
I hope that each one of you have a great end to the academic year and look forward to connecting with you virtually at the next conference!
Best Regards,
Rachel Hample
NCTA President
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NCTA Book Study
Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It
McCabe, D.L., Butterfield, K.D., & Treviño, L.K. (2012). Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It. Johns Hopkins University Press.
ISBN 13: 978-1-4214-2401-9
Why do students cheat? Expanding upon research conducted by Bill Bowers in the 1960’s, McCabe, Butterfield, and Treviño walk us through years of data to study the evolution of cheating in college. Are students cheating more than they did 50 years ago? Has the type of cheating changed in the past five decades? Is there anything we can do to change the current culture? Cheating in College explores these questions.
Join us for an NCTA Book Study. Open to all NCTA members, this group will meet weekly to discuss specific chapters from Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It. To participate or if you have questions, email Sally Carter ([email protected]), obtain a copy of the book, and join us for the first meeting. There are many forms of the book avaible including Kindle, hardcover, and paperback, it is widely available in libraries, or use interlibrary loan.
Wednesday, May 5 @ 3:00 Eastern – Book Study Kickoff Meeting (book introduction and distribute reading schedule)
Wednesday, May 19 @ 3:00 Eastern – Book Study Week 1
Wednesday, May 26 @ 3:00 Eastern – Book Study Week 2
Wednesday, June 2 @ 3:00 Eastern – Book Study Week 3
Wednesday, June 9 @ 3:00 Eastern – Book Study Week 4
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NCTA Division Updates
Professional Development
The Journal of the National College Testing Association (JNCTA), available at https://ncta.memberclicks.net/journal-of-ncta, is seeking ideas and submissions for publication. JNCTA is an online journal sponsored by NCTA that focuses on trends, practices, research, programs, policies, and activities related to examination development and administration. Submissions on any topics related to testing and assessment are welcome, and paper formats can be research, technical, professional practice, policy, or literature reviews in the field. Contact JNCTA Editor, Dr. Sara Rieder Bennett, for more information ([email protected]).
Partnerships and Collaborations
Kimberly Bright and Amy Maurice have been appointed co-chairs of the SRO Committee.
Professional Services
CCTC is now NPN (NCTA Proctoring Network)
In order to more accurately reflect its purpose, the committee has made some major changes.
The first and most obvious change is the name is now the NCTA Proctoring Network.
There is now a tab on the NCTA home page for “Find a Proctor” to assist individuals to find a nearby testing center that will proctor exams.
If your test center is available to proctor exams, please make sure your testing center is listed and has the latest information.
Improvements to the webpage are progressing. Let us know what you think.
CAS Standards is Now a Full Committee
In order to further promote the use of professional standards within our community, the NCTA teamed up with CAS to create standards.
Those standards are now complete and a full committee was created in order to assist the NCTA membership in understanding and meeting the CAS standards for their testing center.
If you would like to join the new committee, please contact [email protected]
The Test Center Certification Committee
The Test Center Certification committee has been going strong in spite of the pandemic as you have no doubt witnessed with all the certification announcements on the NCTA Listserve.
Since August of 2020 they have recertified 20 test centers and certified 12 new centers.
Finance
Contribute to NCTA Through Amazon Smile
As you are shopping, we want to remind you that NCTA is listed as a charity through Amazon Smile, which offers the same products you would find on Amazon at the same price. Visit https://smile.amazon.com/ and search for “National College Testing Association” to select us to receive donations back from your purchases. There is no additional cost to you for shopping through Amazon Smile, but Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price back to NCTA.
Sponsorship Opportunities for the NCTA Virtual Conference
August 10-13, 2021
NCTA encourages our Corporate members to watch the listserv for sponsorship opportunities for the 2021 conference. If you have updated contact information for sponsorship, please email to [email protected].
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Test Center Certification
Recertified Centers
- Davidson County Community College - September 2020
- Western Washington University - September 2020
- Coastal Carolina University - September 2020
- York Technical College- September 2020
- Troy University, Alabama - September 2020
- Southwestern Michigan College - October 2020
- Sam Houston State University - October 2020
- University of Pittsburgh - October 2020
- Columbus State University - October 2020
- Southeast Missouri State University - October 2020
- Temple University - October 2020
- Rio Salado Colleges (9 sites) - November 2020
- Wayne State College - November 2020
- Miami Dade Colleges (9 sites) - November 2020
- Triton College - November 2020
- The Ohio State University - November 2020
- Athens State University - November 2020
- The University of Georgia - January 2021
- St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley - February 2021
- Paradise Valley Community College - February 2021
New Certifications
- Valencia College (6 sites) - September 2020
- Leadership & Management Institute - October 2020
- Heartland Community College - October 2020
- Purdue University - October 2020
- Mercy College of Ohio - November 2020
- Texas State Technical College - November 2020
- Madison Area Technical College – Traux Campus - November 2020
- University of Tennesee – Chattanooga - December 2020
- Illinois Central East Peoria - February 2021
- The University of Alabama - February 2021
- Bloomfield College - February 2021
- Mesa Community College - February 2021
- Columbia State Community College - May 2021
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