Testing Office does more than pass out pencils; staff makes reports, conducts studies of its own Standardized tests require little more from students than a good night's sleep and a balanced breakfast. But, from the office that administers them, tests like the CLEF and the ACT mean year-round business. The Institutional Testing/ Research Services office administers the various exams necessary for graduate programs or scholarship competitions. The staffmonitors the exams to enforce rules defined by the testing and accrediting organizations. "The CLEP test is the most popular test that we give, " program director Bob Kelly said of the exam designed to give students a chance to prove proficiency at a subject that will earn them college credit without taking the class. They are administered six times a year, and about 240 Harding students were given the test this year. Prospective teachers and those who plan to attend graduate school owe much to the office as well. "We coordinate with the School of Education to get students registered for teacher certification tests," Kelly said. Graduate school hopeful Darla Knox took the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) in the fall, and she was pleased with the cooperation she received from the testing office. "They were really helpful," she said, noting that the complicated part of the process came after the test when she had to coordinate enrollment dates with the schools to which she applied. Kelly agreed that graduate students have the responsibility to plan ahead, but the office does what it can to oblige. Far beyond the testing duties of the office, Kelly and his staff conduct research for the administration and faculty, gathering data about the university and processing it for reports and publications. This work results in the Harding Fact Book and the annual Report of the President. Kelly described the Fact Book as a compilation of charts and graphs that summarize data Counselor Eddie Campbell helps circulation librarian Mary Binkley and her assistant, Jan Mitchell, pull a cart of new books to the faculty meeting for the library's faculty development collection. Librarians introduced professors to the books at each meeting last fall. Photo by Aaron Gillihan. about everything from faculty to ACT scores. Many times, department heads request information on students that are enrolled in their particular department. "We complete 40-50 projects per year for department heads and other individuals who request the information," Kelly said. Organizations outside of Harding often request data on the university and its students. For example, the Peterson's Guide and U.S. News and World Report publish periodicals on the best colleges in the country. "Federal and state reports are overwhelming tasks during the fall semester; they are the largest segment of our research load," Kelly said. So, the same office that helped students CLEP out of English is the one that compiles data that represents Harding to the nation. Clearly, the role the Testing Office plays is as important to the school as that high test score is to a student's future. - Lance Lemmonds Academic Support 141
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