To the Administration of the University of Houston,

I am a student at the University of Houston, having transferred from Sam Houston State University in Spring 2024. During my short time here, I have become aware of several pressing issues, including the high suicide rates, lack of mental health awareness, commuter problems, parking difficulties, and the infamous CASA testing center.

Exams are already challenging, whether in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, or other subjects. The University of Houston has compounded this difficulty by mandating that exams be taken at the CASA testing center. This requirement forces students to schedule their exams for specific slots, times, and days, which adds unnecessary stress. Many students, myself included, juggle jobs, family responsibilities, and extensive study commitments. Given that 80% of our student body commutes, this scheduling inflexibility is particularly burdensome. Houston's roads are among the most dangerous in the USA, with 184 accidents occurring daily, further endangering commuting students.

Moreover, students are not machines; we are individuals striving for successful futures. We study tirelessly, often without the respite that even 9-to-5 workers receive on weekends. Many exam slots are scheduled for weekends, exacerbating our workload and stress levels. The University of Houston also faces a severe mental health crisis, exemplified by the tragic suicides at Agnes Arnold Hall. This building, now surrounded by chain-link fences, security guards, and memorials, is a stark reminder of the university's failure to address these issues effectively.

In addition to these problems, the CASA testing center requires biometric data, including fingerprints. In an age of increasing AI usage and data breaches—3713 incidents affecting U.S. public schools, resulting in 37.6 million leaked records—this is a significant concern. The testing environment itself is also problematic: the rooms are sterile, filled with cameras, bland cubicles, and proctors who create an atmosphere of surveillance and discomfort. This treatment is both disrespectful and counterproductive, increasing our stress rather than alleviating it.

We urgently need to abolish the CASA testing center. It does more harm than good, lowering grades, increasing stress, and potentially exacerbating mental health issues and commuting dangers.

This system negatively affects professors as well. They already manage hundreds of students each semester and must now deal with the additional burden of coordinating with the CASA testing center, which has shown a lack of accommodation, even during emergencies like hurricanes. Professors, many of whom are also researchers and doctors, have demanding schedules that are further strained by this testing system.

Why can't we return to proctored exams online or in the classroom? Other esteemed universities in Texas, including the University of Texas, University of Texas at San Antonio, Sam Houston State University, Texas State University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Rice University, and the University of North Texas, do not require testing centers. We do not need CASA.

We, the undersigned, call on the University of Houston to eliminate the CASA testing center immediately and seek alternative, less harmful methods of administering exams.

Sincerely,
A student of UH.