At Oxford, the exams department covers three functions and has a
dedicated building for these purposes: the rooms are used during
term-time as the university's central lecture facility; during
appropriate periods exams take over room use; and out of term, we
act as as conference/meeting venue.

Our alarm system has two stages, similar to the two-stage alarm
cited by Robin Walker, but with the added advantage that the first
stage is also "behind-the-scenes" (our occupancy being almost
entirely "customers" means that an "invisible" first stage is vital);
we also have two "modes".

During most of the year (lecture use, conference use) the alarm
system is kept in "normal mode", so that the first stage is the
triggering of buzzers and lights in my office, at reception and at
other relevant staff offices and at the site of the activated
alarm/detector. The first stage is thus only known to staff and not
to occupants of the building. At these signals, investigation is
undertaken and the second stage of notifying occupants by klaxon
of the need to evacuate is ordered only for a proven emergency.

For the exam period, we switch the system to "exam mode", in
which the first stage buzzers and lights happen only in my office
and at reception, so that there is no disturbance at or near exam
rooms unless absolutely necessary. The second stage of
investigation and alerting by klaxon would happen as above if
necessary.

Clearly the two stages reduce problem situations, as evacuations
are minimised; but an additional plus of our system is that there is
(apparently) no alert in response to a malicious act, so perpetrators
are discouraged through lack of Pavlovian reward!

Were an exam to be abondoned due to an evacuation it would be
dealt with under our Regulations entitled "illness or other urgent
cause affecting examinations" under which a "suitable strategy" is
identified. These are usually invoked by a college for one (sick)
student, but in such a case it would have to be by me, for up to
1150 students (ie the whole building!) and I cannot cite an example
of an approach, as it has not yet happened (I am of course
touching wood as I write, in an attempt to avoid uttering famous
last words...).

I hope this information is useful.




Catherine Hogan
Assistant Registrar & Clerk of the Schools
Examination Schools
University of Oxford
High Street
Oxford    OX1 4BG


E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44 (0)1865 276900
Fax: +44 (0)1865 276904
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