Student FAQs

Please contact the ITS Service Desk if you are experiencing difficulties with setting up your Ventus account.

To setup your MyCarletonOne account, please visit the Set Up Your Account – Help Centre. If you require support through this process, please contact the ITS Service Desk.

If you plan to attend Carleton, please setup your Ventus account after you have accepted your offer of admission and have been issued your student number and your MyCarletonOne login credentials.

You will be required to provide medical documentation from a regulated health care practitioner to confirm there is a disability and related functional limitations that have an impact on your post-secondary academic studies and participation. PMC has created documentation forms, one for each disability category, that can be completed by an appropriate regulated health care professional.

The standard documentation requirement for Learning Disabilities is a Psycho-Educational Assessment (PEA) completed by a registered psychologist within the last 5 years or at the age of 18 years or older. If it is not possible to provide a current PEA, we will accept the following documentation for interim accommodations and support until an updated assessment is completed:

• Psycho-educational Assessment 6 years or older.
• An Individual Education Plan (I.E.P) that references a learning disability and previous LD assessment.

Please contact the PMC at pmc@carleton.ca or 613-520-6608 to schedule an in-person or virtual intake appointment with a PMC Coordinator. The PMC Front Desk staff will walk you through the registration process including documentation requirements and any additional intake assessments, if applicable.

Want us to contact you? One of our team will be happy to reach out to you to initiate the intake process if you complete our contact form on the PMC website.

Prepare for your intake appointment by:

• Completing any intake assessment (e.g., AFI, LASSI, OQ).
• Uploading your documentation and intake consent/release form to the Ventus Student Portal.
• Making a list of questions you want to ask during the appointment.
• Checking building location, bus route or parking if attending an in-person appointment.

You can expect the following to take place during your intake appointment with a PMC Coordinator who will:

• Discuss appropriate template academic accommodations required to address functional impairments related to your disability during your academic studies;
• Recommend support services, offered by both PMC and the Carleton community, to assist with your transition, your mental health, and your learning or employment opportunities on campus;
• Review the academic accommodation process and the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders (students with disabilities, course instructors, PMC, McIntyre Exam Centre) in the accommodation process; and
• Answer your questions and concerns related to your academic accommodations and support services.

Registration with the PMC is voluntary. A file is established at the PMC and you are assigned a PMC Coordinator for the duration of your academic studies.

Documentation is provided to confirm a disability and related functional impairments that have an impact on your academic studies and participation in university life. Disability documentation is kept confidential. PMC registration will not appear in your transcript or any official University records.

Academic accommodations are individualized to each student. Variability may exist from student to student depending on the functional impairments they experience. They are not automatically set up from term to term. Students are required to request accommodations through the Ventus Student Portal at the beginning of every term, and to contact their PMC Coordinators if they require additional support services.

PMC students are required to meet the same academic regulations, standards, and requirements as all students. Similarly, they enjoy the same rights and responsibilities of being members of the Carleton community as outlined in various university policies such as Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy.

Contact us at pmc@carleton.ca or 613-520-6608 to schedule an information meeting with a PMC Coordinator to discuss your concerns, whether PMC is the right place for you, and next steps if you wish to register with PMC.

We are piloting PMC Ravens: Launch to Campus, a new type of orientation event scheduled throughout August 2022 for new and returning students registered with PMC. Participants will have the chance to (virtually) meet peers, PMC Staff, become acquainted with the accommodation process and have the opportunity to choose from a number of workshops designed to foster their independence and self-advocacy skills. We also recommend that you check out our helpful Tips for New Students.

An appropriate academic accommodation in university is a modification or adjustment that will result in an equal opportunity for a student with a disability to attain the same level of performance, or enjoy the same level of benefits and privileges experienced by others, without compromising bona fide academic requirements.

Template accommodations are based on your functional impairments and determined during your intake appointment with a PMC Coordinator. These template accommodations are intended to address the anticipated impact your functional impairments will have on your academic studies. Template accommodations can include adjustments that you require for writing tests/exams or participating in your classes or labs. The accommodation process is dynamic. Your accommodations can be adjusted at any time if there is a change in your disability status or if you have a new disability diagnosis. This is done in consultation with your PMC Coordinator.

You should request your academic accommodations for each course at the beginning of every term. Before you request accommodations in the Ventus Student Portal, make sure to review the evaluation requirements (e.g., test, exams, assignments, presentations, group work, class attendance, etc.) for each course so that you are ONLY requesting accommodations that are actually needed.

You can book an in-person or virtual appointment with your PMC Coordinator through the PMC Front Desk at pmc@carleton.ca or 613-520-6608 to set up accommodations. However, you will still need to use the Ventus Student Portal to request your accommodations and confirm participation for each test or exam.

Upload your new documentation in the Ventus Student Portal and contact the PMC Front Desk at pmc@carleton.ca or 613-520-6608 to schedule an appointment with your PMC Coordinator.

Email your PMC Coordinator to ask what is the best way to proceed. You can find their contact information under our staff listing on the PMC website, or contact the PMC reception at 613-520-6608 or pmc@carleton.ca.

Schedule an appointment with your doctor to complete a new documentation form for PMC. Upload the new documentation to your Student Portal when it is ready. In the meantime, send an email to your PMC Coordinator to ask if it is possible to receive interim accommodations and supports while you are updating your documentation.

Contact your PMC Coordinator ASAP. If you do not know who is your current PMC Coordinator, please contact the PMC Front Desk at pmc@carleton.ca or 613-520-6608.

Email your PMC Coordinator to ask what is the best way to proceed. You can find their contact information under our staff listing on the PMC website, or contact the PMC reception at 613-520-6608 or pmc@carleton.ca to book an appointment.

Letters of Accommodation will no longer be emailed to your professors from your PMC Coordinator. Instead, your professors will see your accommodations in the Ventus Faculty Portal once you have requested accommodations for their courses. Also, you can opt-out of receiving accommodations for a course. The choice is yours!

Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be able to request services such as ASL interpreters, computerized note-takers, and captioning through your Ventus Student Portal, but they will be designated as “pending approval” so that your PMC Coordinator can work with Hunter Calder to coordinate these services.

You can request “supplemental lecture notes” through your Ventus Student Portal. This is a teaching accommodation that is not guaranteed and is provided by peer volunteer note-takers recruited from your classes. Please follow up with each course instructor to kindly ask them to make an announcement in class and/or in Brightspace to recruit a volunteer note-taker. The Notetaking Team will notify you by email when a volunteer note-taker has been found for a course.

At the moment, Ventus does not support the sharing of notes, but this is something that is being developed for future roll out. In the interim, uploading and downloading of lecture notes is done through the existing myPMC Portal.

Animals are not permitted in buildings on campus except if they are working service animals who are assisting persons with disabilities. Carleton has developed a Policy and Guidelines to provide additional information on how, and under what circumstances, animals may be permitted on campus. It also outlines the accommodation process, registration requirements, expectations and restrictions. If you wish to register your service animal through PMC, please ask your doctor to complete the Documentation Form for Service Animal and contact PMC to schedule an appointment with a PMC Coordinator to discuss your request.

Please contact your PMC Coordinator to ask for a referral. You can find their contact information under our staff listing on the PMC website.  Contact the PMC reception at 613-520-6608 or pmc@carleton.ca if you do not know who your PMC Coordinator is or if you want to book an appointment.

Request for Transcription Services is not made through the Ventus Student Portal. To access this service, a formal referral is required from your PMC Coordinator to Library Accessibility Services. Please contact your PMC Coordinator to ask for a referral. When referred to Transcription Services, you will be given access to Texthelp Read & Write reading software and training on how to use it.

It is your responsibility to follow up with the professor for each course after all pending accommodations have been approved by your PMC Coordinator to discuss which of the accommodations you have selected for the course are applicable based on the evaluation requirements.

Your professors will specify in their course outlines how they would like to be contacted by students. Some professors will set aside weekly office hours to meet with students. If you require privacy to discuss your accommodation needs, we recommend that you contact your professors by email to schedule an in-person or virtual meeting.

If you require coaching on what is the best way to discuss your accommodations with your professors, please contact your PMC Coordinator.

In addition to academic accommodations, PMC offers a wide range of support services to support your transition, your learning, and your mental health in university. Ask your PMC Coordinator for more information and referral to the following support services:

• Learning Strategy (LS)
• Disability Counselling
• Support Groups – ADHD Group, Anxiety Group Series, Graduate Student Writing Support Group, Friday Socials, Learning Strategies and Support Group
• Mentorship Volunteer Program
• Assistive Technology (AT) exploration and training

It is about choices. Ventus was designed to give students the options to participate or opt-out of accommodations for a quiz, test or exam. For example, you may decide to write quizzes with your class without accommodations, but choose to write the final exam with accommodations at the McIntyre Exam Centre (MEC). You may also feel that you don’t require all of your template accommodations for a particular test and Ventus gives you the option to only select only those that you need when you confirm participation for a test or exam.

If you require technical assistance with confirming test/exam participation and selecting test/exam accommodations, see Student Module 4 – Test and Exam Accommodations

When a professor has submitted a Notice of Examination (NOE) to the McIntyre Exam Centre (MEC), you will receive a notification by email to confirm participation and accommodations for the test or exam. We recommend that you do this as soon as you have been prompted. You will find a list of unconfirmed exams on the main dashboard when you log into the Ventus Student Portal. The deadline to confirm participation and accommodations is 10 calendar days before the scheduled date of the test or exam.

If you have missed the deadline to confirm participation for a test or exam on Ventus, you need to confirm manually by sending an email to MEC at  examroom@carleton.ca. MEC will try their best to accommodate your request, but seating has been prioritized for students who have confirmed by the deadline, and the exam centre may be full as a result.

If you decide to write a test or exam with your class without accommodations, please notify MEC so that your seat could be given to another student. To opt-out of accommodations for a specific test or exam, at least 10 days before the test or exam go to the Ventus Student Portal and …

• If you have not yet confirmed your participation, go to the Exams tab, and look under the Unconfirmed Exams heading for the specific test or exam and click the Respond button to the right of that test/exam listing. On the next screen, scroll to the bottom and click the grey button labelled “I confirm that I will write this exam WITHOUT accommodations”.
• If you have previously confirmed to write that specific test or exam at MEC, go to the Exams tab, and look under the Exams with MEC – McIntyre Exam Centre heading for that specific test or exam and click the Withdraw button to the right of that test/exam listing.

If you require technical assistance with performing this Ventus function, see Student Module 4 – Test and Exam Accommodations.

Once you have confirmed participation for a test or exam, you cannot change the accommodations that you have selected. If you require a change, email your PMC Coordinator ASAP. Ideally, the request for change of accommodation is made before the 10 calendar days deadline to confirm participation for test or exam.

You will find a list of confirmed tests or exams that you are writing with the McIntyre Exam Centre on the main dashboard when you log into the Ventus Student Portal. Go to the Exams tab to find more information about the accommodation arrangements for the test or exam, including exam type, location, scheduled date, start time, end time, and accommodation status.

If you require technical assistance with checking the status of your accommodations in Ventus, see Student Module 4 – Test and Exam Accommodations.

If you do not see your test or exam listed in your Ventus Student Portal, it could be one of the following reasons:

• You have not requested accommodations for the course.
  • Request your accommodations on the Ventus Student Portal ASAP.
• The professor has not submitted a Notice of Examination (NOE) to the McIntyre Exam Centre.
  • Contact your professor ASAP.
• You have not confirmed your participation and accommodation for the test or exam.
  • Confirm participation on the Ventus Student Portal at least 10 calendar days before the date of the test or exam. If less than 10 calendar days, email MEC ASAP at examroom@carleton.ca.
• Your PMC Coordinator has not approved a pending accommodation.
  • Email your PMC Coordinator ASAP.

The McIntyre Examination Centre (MEC) has two main locations on campus: 133 University Centre, and 124 Paterson Hall. If your professor has arranged for you to write an in-person test or exam at MEC, you will likely write at these locations. During peak midterm season (for example, two weeks before/after reading week/fall break) and the larger formal examination periods in December or April, other locations (e.g., Southam Hall, Tory, etc.) may be used to accommodate the large number of students.

Some suggestions for you to ensure a positive exam-writing experience:

• Budget enough time to arrive at your designated exam location on time. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your official start time. Please note that University regulation prohibits students from entering an exam location 30 minutes after the start of a formal exam.
• Become familiar with the location of your test or exam in advance. Use the Campus Map to research the best route to the location either through the outdoor pathway or the tunnel system.
• Check your accommodations are accurate on the Ventus Student Portal before the test or exam. If you notice any discrepancies, please email your PMC Coordinator ASAP.

You will be greeted by a Site Facilitator who will provide exam instructions, check your ID, and give out exam materials.

You will leave your personal items, including a cellphone, in a designated area, and a proctor will walk you to your seat.

They will be supporting you during the exam. If you need any assistance or want to take a washroom or nutrition break, inform your proctor, and they will guide you through exam procedures.

When you have finished the exam, let your proctor know – they will confirm that all necessary documents have been submitted and help you sign out.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Carleton University is constantly re-evaluating plans in light of new information. Carleton’s mask mandate will be paused as of June 25, 2022. However, please note that if pandemic circumstances were to change, the university may need to quickly reinstate the mask requirement and the vaccination policy. The University will continue to carefully monitor the situation and to align with evolving public health advice and government requirements. Check Carleton’s COVID-19 FAQs for the most current information on the mask mandate.

The health and safety of the members of the Carleton community is non-negotiable and will always be our top priority.  Check out Carleton’s COVID-19 Health and Safety information plan.

To ensure you have a positive online exam-writing experience, the following are recommended:

• Ensure your physical environment is quiet, comfortable and relatively distraction-free during your test or exam.
• Make prior arrangements with family members or roommates to give you the space and quietness you need during your online tests or exams.
• Consider wearing noise cancellation headphones or ear plugs to reduce noise from your immediate surroundings if doing so does not violate the integrity of the exam process.

Scheduling and Examination Services (SES) has prepared comprehensive online resources including student guides, instructional videos and extensive FAQs for students who will be required to use coMaS and Big Blue Button (BBB) for e-proctoring.

In-person tests and exams

If you are late for an in-person test or exam that is in progress, there is a 30-minute grace period for admission to tests and exams. University regulations prohibit students from entering an exam room 30 minutes after the formal start time of a test or an exam. If you arrive after the first 30 minutes, proctors will contact your professor, who has the discretionary authority to permit or deny entry to a test or exam, to seek permission for you to write the test or exam, but no additional time will be provided to compensate for the lost time. If you are denied, you will be directed to the Exam Site Facilitator for information on the next steps.

Online tests or exams

If you are late for an online test or exam that is in progress, please call the exam emergency toll-free line or message Live Chat Support to get in touch with the exam staff.

Exam-Related Emergency Toll-Free Call Line: 1-877-557-2930 (Canada & USA)

Outside Canada/US Exam Emergency: +1-613-518-2601

Your extra time accommodation does not apply to final “take-home” or “range” exams. Most professors usually provide sufficient time for students to complete their take-home exams. Please contact your PMC Coordinator if you have any concerns.

If you have selected “Generic music/white noise” and/or “Pre-approved, personal music” in the list of accommodations when confirming participation in the exam, you will be allowed to listen to music or white noise through headphones (supplied by the exam centre).

If you don’t see this accommodation in your template accommodations, please contact your PMC Coordinator.

If you have “Pre-approved, personal music” as an accommodation, make sure to submit music/white noise to PMC for vetting. Digital copies of the vetted music or white noise will made and housed at MEC for future uses.

You may take a washroom break, but not during the first 30 minutes after the test or exam start time. As per Exam Regulations and Procedures, no students are permitted to leave the exam room during first half-hour of a test or exam.

Accessible washrooms are located at all the exam sites. If you require an attendant to assist you to take a washroom break during a test or exam, please contact your PMC Coordinator to discuss how this is to be arranged.

Please bring your cold snack to your writing space with you. When you would like to take your snack break, please alert one of our proctors and they will assist with this.

If you have a question(s) for your professor during a test or exam, please advise the proctor who will try their best to contact your professor by phone. In the event your course instructor cannot be reached, you will be asked to state your assumption when answering the question(s).

Food or beverages are not permitted in exam rooms. The only exception is bottled water in a sealed container. If you have a nutrition break as an accommodation, you will be able to bring a light snack.

You should only bring your student card, writing utensils and items authorized by the instructor (e.g., calculators, dictionaries). If your instructor didn’t authorize any additional items, don’t bring them to your examination.

You are also allowed to bring authorized item(s) (e.g., glucose monitor, personal portal CCTV, ice pad, etc.) that have been approved by PMC as listed in your template accommodations.

If you have “Pre-approved cueing sheet, formula sheet” as an accommodation, make sure to submit the sheet(s) to PMC, upon approval, these will come packaged along with your test/exam material.

Having a cellphone on your person during a test or exam could result in an alleged academic integrity offence. It is best to leave your cell phone in your bag, turned off, and placed in a designated area for bags and coats.

If you are feeling unwell on the day of your test or exam, please do not come to campus. If you suspect it is COVID-19, seek medical advice and/or treatment. Generally, it is recommended that you complete Carleton University’s COVID-19 screening self-assessment (cuScreen) before coming to campus.

If at all possible, make the decision to defer before you write a test or exam.

• If it is a quiz, test or midterm scheduled during the term, contact your professor by email to advise them that you are sick and ask them what the process is for a make-up or deferral.
• If it is a final exam held during formal exam period, you can apply for a deferred exam through the Registrar’s Office if you are sick. Online application for deferral should be made no later than 3 business days after the original final examination date or the due date of the take-home examination. For more information, see the Registrar’s Office information on Exam Deferrals.

In the event you become ill during a test or exam and believe your performance will be negatively impacted by the illness, please stop writing and inform the proctor who will advise you of the next steps.