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LPI Examinee Terms of Reference
   
 

The content of the LPI test is the property of the University of British Columbia. Before registering for the LPI test, all examinees will be required to accept the conditions specified in the LPI Examinee Terms of Reference. It is important to read the Terms of Reference carefully as it affects the legal rights of examinees.
 
 

LPI Examinee Non-Disclosure Agreement

   This examination is the property of the University of British Columbia, is confidential, and is protected by laws governing the ownership of intellectual property. It is made available to you, the examinee, solely for the purpose of evaluating your proficiency in reading and writing the English language. You are expressly prohibited from copying, disclosing, publishing, reproducing, or transmitting this examination, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, verbal or written, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the prior express written permission of the University of British Columbia. By registering for this examination, you are agreeing that you will not copy the examination or disclose it to any other person. You further agree to indemnify the University of British Columbia for any loss, damages or costs, including legal fees, it may incur as a result of you breaching this agreement. You understand that the University of British Columbia will exercise its full legal rights against you, both civil and criminal, if you breach the terms of this agreement.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DOCUMENT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.

Note carefully: Examinees who do not agree to the terms of this agreement will forfeit their test fee and will not be permitted to take the test.
 

Test Security Issues

   The goal of the LPI Office is to report scores that accurately reflect the English language proficiency of each examinee. Accordingly, the LPI Office’s standards and procedures for administering tests have two primary objectives: to provide all examinees with equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, and to prevent any examinee from gaining an unfair advantage over other examinees. The LPI Office, therefore, reserves the right to cancel any test scores for the reasons outlined below in this document. In the event of such cancellation, the examinee will not have his or her test fees refunded. In addition to cancelling the current test score, the LPI Office reserves the right to take any or all of the following actions: cancel past test scores, notify educational institutions and other third parties of cancelled test scores, refuse the examinee admission to future testing, pursue civil and criminal legal remedies against the examinee, or take such other action that the LPI Office considers appropriate (these actions hereafter in this document referred to as “Disciplinary Actions”).

 

Misconduct or Failure to Follow Instructions

   If an examinee engages in any of the following:

 

a)

noncompliance with the directions given by the Test Supervisor and/or Invigilators; or

 

b)

misconduct, which includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with the Test Centre Procedures and Regulations;

then the LPI Office reserves the right to take any action it deems necessary, including, but not limited to, cancelling the current test score and/or further Disciplinary Actions.

Improper or Fraudulent Identification

   When, in the judgement of the LPI Office or an LPI examination supervisor, the examinee does not present proper identification, the examinee may be refused entry to the test room or may be dismissed from the test centre. This may happen at any time, including during an examination. If identification problems are discovered subsequent to testing, the LPI Office may refuse to score the test or may cancel the test score and/or take further Disciplinary Actions. The LPI Office may maintain a database of examinee information, including photographs or other collected biometric information, that may be referenced to search for potential instances of personation.

Scholarly Integrity

   The LPI Office reserves the right to cancel the scores of examinees and/or take further Disciplinary Actions when, in the judgement of the LPI Office, there is evidence that an essay:

 

a)

includes text that is substantially similar to that found in other LPI essays;

 

b)

contains unattributed quotations or paraphrasing from published sources; or

 

c)

shows evidence that parts of an essay are mere recital of memorized text that the examinee is seeking to present as spontaneous.

Invalid Scores

   The LPI Office may cancel test scores and take further Disciplinary Actions if, in its judgement, there is evidence that test scores are invalid for any reason. Evidence of invalid scores may include, without limitation, discrepant handwriting, unusual answer patterns, and inconsistent performance on different parts of the test. Before cancelling scores pursuant to this paragraph, the LPI Office will advise the examinee in writing of its concerns, and will allow the examinee the opportunity to submit information that addresses those concerns. The LPI Office will review any such information submitted prior to advising the examinee of the action that the LPI Office will take.

   In the event of a breach of Test Security as defined above, LPI results and any associated information from the LPI registration/examination process (photographs, test scores, completed tests, application materials, etc.) may, without prior notification to the examinee, be released to educational institutions or to third parties, including government agencies and law enforcement agencies.
 

Testing Irregularities

   “Testing irregularities” refers to problems with the administration of a test. When testing irregularities occur, they may affect an individual or groups of examinees. Such problems include, without limitation, administrative errors (such as improper timing, improper seating, defective materials, and defective equipment); improper access to test content; and other disruptions to test administrations (such as natural disasters and other emergencies). When testing irregularities occur, the LPI Office may decline to score the test or may cancel the test score. When the LPI Office judges that it is appropriate to do so, the LPI Office will provide affected examinees the opportunity to take the test again as soon as possible without charge.

   On occasion, weather conditions or other circumstances beyond the test supervisor’s or the LPI Office’s control may require delaying, rescheduling, or cancelling a test. In the event that a technical problem at the test centre makes it necessary to cancel a test session, the examinee can choose to either reschedule another test session free of charge or receive a full refund of the original test fee. To request a refund of a test fee, the examinee must contact the LPI Office within 30 days of the original test date and provide the following information: name, mailing address, daytime telephone number, e-mail address, original test date and time, registration number, and a brief description of what occurred at the test centre. All refunds will be made in Canadian dollars.

   Although tests are administered under strict supervision and secure conditions, irregularities that are not observed by the LPI Office may sometimes occur. Examinees are asked to contact the LPI Office as soon as possible to report any observed improper behavior—for example, someone copying from another examinee, taking a test for someone else, having access to test questions before the exam, or using notes or unauthorized aids. It is damaging to all other examinees if one examinee, or a group of examinees, obtains an advantage on the test through inappropriate behavior.
 

Penalties for Breach of Test Security

   In the event that an examinee commits a breach of test security, the LPI Office will not score the examinee’s test and will not refund the test fee. In addition, the LPI Office may refuse such person admission to future testing, may cancel previous test results, may pursue civil and criminal legal remedies, or may take other actions that the LPI Office considers appropriate. In the event that test scores are cancelled, notification of their cancellation may be sent, without further notification to the examinee, to educational institutions and to other third parties such as law enforcement agencies.

   Examinees are cautioned that there are also harsher penalties for breaching test security. These may include suspension or expulsion from postsecondary institutions, and the laying of criminal charges under the Criminal Code of Canada. It should be noted that, in the event of examinee substitution (i.e. personation), both parties to the offence are liable for prosecution.

In addition, examinees caught cheating will be billed for the costs of the investigation that uncovered the cheating. These costs can typically range from $500 to $1000, but can be higher if an extensive investigation is required.