Academic Alert Notices, offered both online and through the Academic Dean's Office, are important feedback mechanisms available to you as an instructor. 

You are encouraged to fill out an Academic Alert Notice (AAN) when students have:

• Excessive absences
• Late or missing homework
• Poor exams or tests
• Classroom or behavioral issues
• Other issues related to academic progress in your course

Each AAN gives you the opportunity to inform students what concerns you have about their academic progress and the steps you believe they need to take to remedy their less than satisfactory performance.  Some instructors use AANs to summarize meetings they have had with students, so everyone can have a clear, undisputed record of actions both the instructor and student will take. 

Copies of all AANs are sent to the student, you (the instructor), the student's advisor, and the Academic Dean's Office.  By sending an AAN, you are also informing the Early Alert staff of possible problems, and keeping the advisor apprised of the situation.  Academic Alert Notices should not be thought of as punitive.  Instead, you should think of them as another way of alerting a student to possible difficulties and offering him or her the opportunity to improve before it gets too late. 

It is important for you to send an AAN as soon as you have concerns about the student.  You may be the only instructor to notice that a student is having problems.  We are counting on you as the instructor to help college staff identify students who are not doing well academically.

Academic Alert Notice Tips

• Write the notice to the student.  Even though copies are set to the advisor, you should use this form primarily to communicate with the student and take comfort in knowing that the advisor has also been alerted.
• Most instructors will also talk directly with the student about the alert notice and the performance issues that need addressing.
• If you know the student needs to drop your course, send the AAN in advance of the drop deadline for the best chance of the student receiving and acting on the notice.
• Be specific.  The more details you can provide, the better you can aid the student.
• Be sure to give the student your recommendation.  "Study Harder" isn't nearly as helpful as, "See me or someone in Learning Support Services to go over study tips and techniques for this course."
• If you need to send a number of AANs for one class, it may be helpful to copy repetitive information to the clipboard.  That way, you won't need to retype the same message multiple times.

What happens after you send a student an Academic Alert Notice?

First, the student receives a copy.  For most, it is a wake up call that they need to contact you about the issue.  The student's advisor receives a copy and will then contact the student to offer assistance or referrals to appropriate campus resources.  Early Alert staff also keeps tabs on your alert notices.  If staff sees that a student has several notices, that student will be contacted by student services or academic support services staff who are trained to do outreach and offer assistance.  Your AAN is the first step in a process to ensure that students get the support they need to be successful. 

On-Line Academic Alert Notices

Click on "On-Line Academic Alert Notice" in the column on the left.  You will be prompted to enter your user name and password.  Complete the form on-line and click "Submit."  That's all!  Within two business days you will be emailed a copy of the information for your own records.  Students will be notified with a paper copy sent to their current address (to an on-campus mailbox for resident students) and a copy emailed to their Edgewood email account.  You are able to access AANs anywhere you have an internet connection.

Questions?  Contact Sara Anderson (slanderson@edgewood.edu) in Learning Support Services.