From 1979-1981, at various meetings (College Board, Placement, etc) where testing personnel met, there were several discussions which indicated this group should get together and compare notes regarding procedures and common interest.

In the Fall/Winter of 1981 ETS Examiner, Trudy Arbuckle, Director of Testing at The University of Tulsa, read an article which stat3ed an organization was to be formed by Southeastern Testing Directors for the same purpose mentioned above.  Trudy called ETS to obtain the name of the contact person regarding trhe southeastern organization.  She subsequently wrote to and talked with Ralph Shaw at Emory University and made arrangements to attend the organization meeting of the Southeastern Association of Testing Personnel in Atlanta, November 10-12, 1982.  Peggy Foster from Central State University attended the meeting also.  Trudy had materials concerning the meeting sent to Dr. Bill Elsom, Director of the Bureau of Tests and Measurements at OSU in Stillwater.

Bill Elsom, using the CLEP mailing list sent a notice to Oklahoma testing personnel indicating that a meeting would be held in Stillwater on October 7, 1982 for the purpose of organizing as a group.

Representatives from the following institutions attended the meeting:

• Bartlesville Wesleyan College
• Bethany Nazarene College
• Central State University
• Oklahoma Baptist University
• Oklahoma City University
• Oklahoma State University
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
• University of Tulsa

The participants named topics of interest which were discussed and included:

• Graduate assistants used to proctor graduate tests
• Legal time to keep records
• ACT Residual testing fees
• Security/Cheating
• Record keeping concerns (storage methods, etc.)
• Scope of membership for this group
• Name of organization
• Should there be a chairman?, fees?, meet how often?

On October 7, 1982 the Oklahoma Association of College Testing Personnel (OACTP) was founded and is still alive and strong today!

Congratulations OACTP!