What is Early Alert?
Why was it created?
What are Week Four Rosters?
Why do you contact the academic advisor, instead of
contacting the student directly?
Why do you look at Midterm Grades?
What is its success rate?
What is my role as an instructor?
What is my role as an advisor?
Why should I complete the online post form?
Feedback Instruments
What is Early Alert?
Early Alert is a committee on campus dedicated to helping first year
students have a successful academic year. It consists of members
from Learning Support Services, Center for Diversity, Personal Counseling,
Residence Life, the Associate Academic Dean, and the Dean of Students.
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Why was it created?
The college noticed very poor retention rates of our first year students.
In addition, a large number of freshmen students were on academic
probation after their first semesters, and as a result were either
dismissed or left Edgewood at the end of their first years.
Intervention was very difficult, as the original impromptu committee
only had anecdotal information and word of mouth to determine which
students were struggling. Week Four Rosters and the committee's
other tasks were created to assist with identifying our at risk
population.
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What are Week Four Rosters?
Students are often on Academic Probation due to poor decision making,
including skipping classes, not turning in homework, and not taking
responsibility for their actions. These behaviors are much easier to
fix earlier in the semester, rather than later. Unfortunately, by
the time these behaviors are noticed, it is often too late.
The Early Alert Committee created class rosters at four weeks in an
attempt to identify students at risk from these detrimental behaviors.
At the end of week four of classes, you can expect to find class rosters
in your mailbox with any students of freshman status listed. We give
you the names of ALL freshmen--not only those which are currently
considered "at risk." Any student has potential to do well--and also
has potential to succumb to irresponsible behavior.
Instructors are asked to indicate whether students have missed more
than two classes or turned in late work, and also asked to mark whether
the student has received feedback on these behaviors.
These rosters are then returned to the Early Alert Committee.
Committee members compile all of the information. If students appear
to have detrimental tendencies in two or more classes, the committee
notifies the advisor.
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Why do you contact the
advisor instead of the student directly?
As an advisor, you have a relationship with the student, no matter how
small it may seem. In the end, if the student doesn't speak with
you, you won't release the AS 400 hold allowing them to register. We
have no such incentive for students and are often ignored. Also,
you may know of different circumstances that we are not aware. It
could be that the student was ill, and did not contact the instructor (or,
that the instructor either forgot, or has an attendance policy that does
not take illness into consideration). If that is the case, it
becomes the perfect time to remind first year students to check the
syllabus for attendance policies, mention how to speak to an instructor,
or refer the student to someone in Learning Support Services for an
appointment. Also, it is beneficial for you as the advisor to
have this information in your student's file for a later date.
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Why do you look at Midterm Grades? How is that early?
Midterm Grades are usually distributed at the tenth week of classes.
The drop date is a mere two weeks later. By looking at midterm
grades and comparing the information to that which we gathered at four
weeks, we are able to see if the student is improving, staying the same,
or is in a dangerous spot academically. By moving quickly, we are
able to notify advisors of issues that we see in time for the advisor to
speak with the student before the drop date. Although midterm
grades are not "early" by any means, they are another tool to allow the
committee to contact students and alert them to potential problems.
This notice can serve as the only notice to a student of problems.
Students who were not showing problems at the beginning of the
semester may not be aware of their difficulties until they see midterm
grades. Or, if a student drops from an "A" at the beginning of the
semester to a "C" at midterms, the instructor may assume, often
correctly, that the material was more difficult later in the course.
If this happens in all of the student's classes, it could point to
personal difficulties that is affecting work. Without this
information, he or she could slip through the cracks and not return the
following semester.
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What is its success rate?
This sort of thing is difficult to quantify. Freshman retention is
up, which can be partially contributed to the work of the committee.
In addition to the academic work being done, the committee also makes
observations and suggestions to other areas of campus, based on the
information it receives. We also have a lower percentage of freshmen leaving after their first
semester, and a lower percentage of freshmen on Academic Probation.
Of the students eventually determined to be "at risk" as a result of
Rosters, Midterm Grades, Academic Alert Notices, etc., on average 93% are
in good standing by the end of the semester. More importantly, we
are aware of those who are not in good standing at the end of the
semester, and have often made every attempt possible to alert the student
to the situation. There are fewer (if any) "surprises" on the
academic probation lists.
We have very rich
anecdotal evidence, and testimonials from students who believe the
intervention allowed them to stay in school and graduate. Contact
anyone on the Early Alert Committee for more information.
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What is my role as an instructor?
Our hope is that you continue to give valuable feedback early and often to
all of your classes. Please return rosters on time, and turn in
midterm grades. If you begin having problems with a student, refer
to the "I
have a student who" series, or contact someone on the Early Alert
Committee. You may be the only person to notice a student's struggle, and
could mean the difference between success and failure for that student.
You are also encouraged to send
Academic Alert Notices if performance is dropping.
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What is my role as an advisor?
Keep doing all of the things you would usually do as an advisor.
The Early Alert Committee will send you any information it collects
regarding your advisees. Many things you will have already
noticed: midterm grades, academic alert notices, etc. The
Early Alert Committee will continue to send alerts just in case you may
have missed something. And, things will come to the Early Alert
Committee quite possibly before they cross your desk.
If you are unable to contact your advisee regarding these matters,
please let us know! We consider all information to be important,
as it paints a picture of the student's progress--we would not be
sending it (or even collecting it) if we did not feel it important to do
so. If you are unable to contact or are unsuccessful in meeting
with your advisee, please contact
Sara Anderson, and she will attempt to make contact through the
Early Alert Committee.
If you were able to contact your advisee, we also ask that you close
the loop and let us know. You do not need to share details, but we
would like you to tell us that the student was contacted, and the
outcome (you met with the student, made a plan, misunderstanding with
instructor, made referrals, things are okay, things will be okay, etc).
The Early Alert Committee is one of your resources as an advisor.
If you are uncertain what to do in a specific situation, contact us!
Someone on the committee is bound to have insight into your situation.
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Feedback
Instruments
Student Feedback Requests Academic Alert Notices
