Laptop Policy

  1. The Law School uses SofTest which enables students to take exams in a secure environment. SofTest ensures that students cannot access prohibited sources during the exam by locking out access to files, programs and the Internet.  It allows access to a proprietary word processing engine for performing basic word processing tasks.
  2. A laptop IS NOT considered an open book material. The only function the laptop has in an exam room is for typing an exam using the SofTest software.  Any and all other uses for a laptop are strictly prohibited.
  3. Students are permitted to type exams on their personal laptops using the Examplify software. Typing is not mandatory, but is highly recommended.
  4. Students must bring their own power cords. Due to the technical difficulty of retrieving an exam from a laptop without power and the disruption to other students during the exam it causes, if a student does not have their laptop power cord, they will be asked to hand write. Also, no loaner power cords will be available as they can be laptop specific in terms of power needs and the physical connection to the laptop.
  5. Students must provide their own laptops with an internal or external 802.11a, g, or n wireless card (Windows users), or AirPort card (Mac users).  
  6. Spell check will be enabled.
  7. There will be no charge for students to use the software. 
  8. Students should assume that typists and hand writers will be taking their exams together.  Earplugs may be purchased at the Seton Hall Law School Bookstore.
  9. The Office of Legal Computing IS NOT responsible for the installation of applications/programs which students need to run Examplify.
  10. If a student experiences a laptop problem or malfunction prior to, during, or upon exiting an exam, he or she must immediately notify the proctor.   The Law School will attempt to provide immediate technical support if the student alerts the proctor.  If a student’s laptop fails during an examination, the student must continue answering the exam by hand-writing it. No additional time will be allowed for attempting to resolve computer problems during the exam.
    After the exam has concluded, an attempt may also be made to retrieve exam answers from the student’s hard drive.  The retrieved exam portion, together with the hand-written portion, will be submitted to the professor for grading.
    Only if exam answers cannot be retrieved within 24 hours, may the Associate Dean, in consultation with the professor, determine any additional remedial options, if any.  However, no relief will be given to a student who failed to alert the proctor at the time of the difficulty.
  11. Where laptop exams are permitted, faculty may not pick up their completed exams until 24 hours from the date and time of the published examination. For purposes of grading deadlines, the deadline would then start two calendar days from the date that the exam was administered.