The Record: Center for Law and Computers

SofTest registration and download site for Summer 2008 final exams opened Mon., July 7

If you will betaking one or more exams on computer (either a lab computer or your own laptop); you MUST read the following information

INTRODUCTION
Chicago-Kent College of Law uses a special program, SofTest, for taking exams on computers. The advantage of using the SofTest program is that it increases the stability, security, and reliability of the exam taking process. Since adopting SofTest and its predecessor programs, we have experienced very few problems with lost exams or corrupted exam files.

If you are taking an exam on computer, you will write your exam using the word processing program built into SofTest. Please read the appropriate section below, depending on whether you plan to use a lab computer or your own laptop to take the exam. If you are taking the exam on your laptop, please note that you must not only download and install the SofTest program, but must also bring certain necessary hardware components to the exam.

LAB COMPUTERS
CONTINUING FOR Summer ‘08: If you are taking an exam on a computer lab desktop PC, you MUST log in with the user name "labexam". SofTest will not work on Lab PC's if you log in as yourself.
Although the program is simple to use, please spend a few minutes reviewing the SofTest help file that is located on the network. The help file is located at: Z:\SummerExams\HelpFile\SofTest.hlp. Just double click the file to begin viewing. Computer Lab PC's are generally not prepared for final exams until 2-3 business days prior to the start of the exam testing period. As such, practice use of the SofTest program on Computer Lab PC's is not guaranteed to be available prior to the start of exams.

LAPTOP COMPUTERS
Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista Business Edition, and Windows Vista Ultimate Edition are the only supported platforms for exams on computer at Chicago-Kent. Additionally, all laptops running a supported Windows operating system must be fully configured for the Chicago-Kent network (network drives visible at login).

Wireless network connections are not supported for exams. Use of Mac computers is also not supported for exams. Please see the "Computer Notes & Policies" section for additional information.

In order to take exams on your own laptop, you will have to download the SofTest software from the web. THE ENTIRE DOWNLOAD/INSTALLATION PROCESS MUST BE COMPLETED WHILE YOU ARE LOGGED IN TO THE CHICAGO-KENT NETWORK WITH YOUR C-K USER NAME!

On this web page (http://www.examsoft.com/chicagokentlaw), click on the “Exam Takers” tab at the bottom of the page, and the click the “New User Signup” button. A new registration is required each semester. ExamSoft web site options for "returning users" are not applicable to Chicago-Kent.

On the following page, fill in the required information, select "Personal Computer," and then acknowledge the license agreement.

Click the “Download & Install” button and follow the directions. Reboot your computer as required.

Any prompts from SofTest to download or upload exam files can be ignored. Chicago-Kent does not currently use the Internet for delivery or taking of exams.

Click “Yes” if you are prompted to retake the qualification exam.

If you have a previous version already installed on your computer, you MUST uninstall the old version prior to downloading and installing the new version. Do not choose any upgrade options. See further information below.
Provided below is some important information about downloading and installing the software. The process is somewhat time-consuming, so please do not wait until the last minute. If you have any problems or questions, contact the Help Desk (Room 540; e-mail: HELPDESK; phone: 906-5300).

Please note that you MUST come to the exam with the SofTest program properly installed and configured. This includes fully completing the "registration and qualification" process on ExamSoft's web site. Additionally, you should bring the following hardware components with you:
(1) a power cord
(2) a network card or built-in Ethernet port
(3) a network cable
(4) a floppy disk drive (if owned, see below for details)

If you do not have the software properly installed, or are missing any necessary equipment, you will be required to hand write your exam.

Important Information about Downloading and Installing SofTest:
* In order to guarantee that SofTest will function properly on your computer, ExamSoft has implemented a software registration and qualification procedure as part of the SofTest download. YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ENTIRE REGISTRATION/ QUALIFICATION PROCESS OR THE SOFTWARE WILL NOT FUNCTION ON EXAM DAY! You have not completed the process until you see “Registration: Complete” under the “SofTest Status” section of the program’s first screen. Please read on for details.

* You should remove any prior versions of SofTest or other ExamSoft software from your computer before trying to install the new version. To do this, click on the Windows “Start” button ->“Settings” -> “Control Panel” -> “Add/Remove Programs,” find “SofTest” and then follow the directions to uninstall it. Reboot your computer after you perform this task.

* The process for obtaining and installing SofTest requires a number of steps to be performed online at ExamSoft's web site located at http://www.examsoft.com/chicagokentlaw. We recommend that you download and print out the instructions for this procedure as well as ExamSoft's list of frequently asked questions (FAQ's) at http://www.examsoft.com/faq before you begin.

* To download the program, you will be required to provide a "Student ID". In the “Student ID” field, please enter the five-digit exam number e-mailed to you by the Registrar’s Office. This will be your Student ID number throughout the exams on computer testing process.

You will receive a final registration confirmation by email containing your student ID, password, institution, and registration number if you completed the SofTest registration process successfully. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please stop by room 540 or call the Help Desk (312) 906-5300 for further assistance.

COMPUTER NOTES & POLICIES
* YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ENTIRE DOWNLOAD/INSTALLATION PROCESS WHILE YOU ARE LOGGED IN TO THE CHICAGO-KENT NETWORK WITH YOUR C-K USER NAME! There are two reasons for this. First, your Chicago-Kent network account must have full permissions to do anything on your laptop. The easiest way to check that this is the case is to complete the entire download and installation process (including registration and qualification) while you are logged in to the Chicago-Kent network. Second, you must be able to access the file server drives on the Chicago-Kent network. If you can not properly log in to the Chicago-Kent network, you will not be able to open your exam files.
* Due to the above mentioned permissions requirements, you can not borrow a laptop from a fellow student to take your exams.

* Due to the requirement of accessing shared network drives, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows Vista Home Basic, and Windows Vista Home Premium will not function for taking an exam on your laptop at Chicago-Kent.

* All students are encouraged to use provided floppy disks as a means of backup during exams on computer. If you will be taking an exam on your laptop, and it is not currently equipped with a floppy drive, it is up to you to decide if the additional floppy disk backup warrants the purchase of an external floppy disk drive. Any exams taken on computer lab PC’s will be expected to have a floppy disk backup.

* Chicago-Kent does not support any form of wireless networking for exams on computers. All connections should be "hard-wired" with a standard Ethernet network cable. You are responsible for supplying your own Ethernet cable when taking an exam on your laptop.

* Chicago-Kent does not support the use of Mac computers for exams. This is true regardless of whether the Mac is running Mac OS X or a Microsoft Windows operating system.

The Center for Law and Computers has a limited supply of laptop computers reserved for use in emergency situations that arise during exam period. Please contact Dean Sowle if you register to take an exam on a laptop, and your laptop suffers unexpected problems that cannot be remedied before your exam.

The CLC's laptops also may be used (subject to availability) if your computer has problems immediately before or during an exam, as long as the problem is not due to your failing to properly configure or register your laptop to run the SofTest program. Students who have not properly configured or registered SofTest on their computers will be given bluebooks and will write their final exams.

Because of limited supply, the CLC's laptops are not available for general loaning purposes during exam period, including to students who do not own a laptop or are Mac users. However, if you have exceptional circumstances that you believe justify borrowing a laptop for an exam, please contact Dean Sowle.

CLC Help Desk - Summer Hours

The CLC Help Desk staff will operate under temporary Summer hours beginning Monday, June 2 through Friday, August 15, 2008.

On Mon., August 18, 2008 the CLC Help Desk will resume their normal operating hours.
Monday – Thursday – 8:30am – 6:00pm
Friday – 8:30am – 5:00pm

Email forwarding for Chicago-Kent alumnae/i available through Office of Alumni Relations

For those of you leaving us for greater ventures, we would like to wish you the best. We’d also like to share the below information with you regarding your email, network, and printing accounts.

For May 2008 graduates, your kentlaw.edu network login and email account will expire on Monday, August 4 (the first Monday after the summer bar exam). Now that you have graduated, please help us by removing any or all email messages and files from the C-K network as soon as possible so that we can make room for incoming students.

As a Chicago-Kent graduate, the Office of Alumni Relations is pleased to offer you the option of setting up an alumni.kentlaw.edu email address through our e-mail forwarding service. This service is available through the Chicago-Kent Alumni Online Community and allows you to choose a username@alumni.kentlaw.edu address that will be forwarded to your specified personal email account (e.g. gmail, yahoo, or work e-mail, etc).

This system allows you to utilize a simple e-mail address to give to family and friends, and your username can be your current username@kentlaw.edu or you can create a new one. You’ll never have to notify everyone in your address book of a new or discontinued e-mail address because you can simply update your personal e-mail address by logging into the Online Community and emails will subsequently be forwarded to your email address.

In order to access email forwarding, all you have to do is sign up for the Chicago-Kent Alumni Online Community. Accounts for May 2008 graduates will be available in mid-July. Click here to sign up now!

For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alums@kentlaw.edu or 312.906.5240.

May 2008 and December 2007 graduates may now print to Chicago-Kent’s network printers only via their student ID card’s “cash account.” ID card “printing accounts,” and any remaining complementary pages within them will be eliminated for May 2008 and December 2007 graduates on Mon., May 19, 2008.

Email and network login accounts for May 2008 and December 2007 graduates will continue to remain active through the Spring 2008 semester. Accounts for both May 2008 and December 2007 graduates will be terminated on Monday, August 4th (first Monday after the July bar exam).

The Center for Law and Computers will conduct regular monthly maintenance windows on the first Tuesday of every month (5a.m. - 7a.m. in the morning) for "Patch and\or Update" management on systems that need to be rebooted.

Remember too that there may be "emergency" times when manufacturers release "critical" update patches that need to be installed immediately. The CLC will make every attempt to send out an announcement in advance when the "critical" updates need to be installed and systems rebooted (however, we cannot always guarantee advance notice since certain patches/updates need to be applied ASAP before a breach is made).

All network services including Internet access, email, web mail, network drives, and network printing will be down during the above scheduled time.

Maintenance will be conducted on the following days:

Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008
Tuesday, Sept 9, 2008

Chicago-Kent's Internet Service Provider (Illinois Century Network) backbone maintenance window is on Fridays from 2:00am - 7:00am. During this maintenance window it is possible that the Downtown Campus building may experience intermittent Internet connectivity.