Academic Early Alert

The Academic Early Alert program plays a vital role in promoting student success by providing timely interventions and support. When students receive an alert, it signals the need for a change in their academic approach, prompting them to engage with instructors and make improvements based on faculty recommendations. In many cases, students may not fully grasp the impact of their academic performance until after an alert is sent, highlighting the importance of timely intervention.

Through these alerts, retention and graduation specialists are able to identify significant academic and non-academic factors contributing to poor performance. The alerts often spark important dialogues between students and faculty, leading to further communication and support.

Moreover, the program fosters a sense of value and appreciation among students, reassuring them that faculty and staff care about their well-being and academic progress. By intervening early, students can discover a range of campus resources addressing both academic and non-academic challenges, thus maximizing their chances for success.

Participation is easy. The Academic Early Alert submission form is located on your Canvas dashboard.

1. Log in to Canvas
2. On the left side menu, select Help & Resources
3. Click on the Academic Early Alert link
4. Complete the form and click Submit

After you submit an Academic Early Alert, Retention and Graduation Services receive the alert, and outreach efforts begin. We will make every attempt to contact students via phone, text, and email. You can expect a follow-up email notification from the assigned Care Manager within 3 to 5 days of submission. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), information is shared on a need-to-know basis and does not become part of a student’s permanent record

Early intervention is paramount in the Academic Early Alert Program. Alerts should be submitted as soon as an academic-related concern is observed to provide students with ample time to implement success strategies. Faculty should consider submitting an alert as soon as they notice the following issues:

• Student(s) did not complete the attendance verification assignment

• Frequent absenteeism or persistent tardiness
• Unresponsiveness to faculty outreach
• Lack of engagement or participation in the physical or virtual classroom
• Low test or quiz scores
• Missing, incomplete, or poorly completed assignments
• Other measures of academic performance

When submitting an alert, faculty are encouraged to include specific comments that provide detailed information about student performance. These comments help clarify the next steps for students and provide staff with a clear framework for successful interventions. Understanding the likelihood of a student's success in the class at the time of the alert is beneficial for both students and staff.

Receiving an alert means that one of your instructors has identified some concerns about your academic performance in their course – perhaps you missed a few classes, could benefit from academic coaching, are missing assignments, or haven’t responded to messages from them. They then submitted an Academic Early Alert form which led to you receiving a phone call, text message, or email from our office to provide you with support and resources. This is a call to action and signals the need for a change in your academic approach.

The goal of the Academic Early Alert is not to penalize you but to provide support and resources to help you improve your academic performance. It is an opportunity for you to engage with your instructor, academic advisors, and support services to address any challenges you may be facing. If you receive an alert, take it seriously and take proactive steps to seek assistance and improve your standing in the course.

Academic Early Alert (AEA) helps students by connecting them to resources that will support them in their current situation. We understand that students have many responsibilities outside the classroom, including work, family, and more. When you receive a phone call, text message, or email from our staff, we want to learn more about you and your needs so we can provide support and resources to help you succeed.

• Engage in the process, and remember – we’re here to help! Respond to our outreach efforts and let us know what challenges you are facing. We can connect you with different on-campus resources, help you start a critical conversation with your professor, academic advisor, or other person on campus, and much more.
• Review the resources discussed during your phone call or provided via text message or email. Contact information will be provided for these resources – reach out to them or stop by their office to say hi!
• Connect with your instructor. Let them know you received outreach for the Academic Early Alert, discuss your progress in the class and what needs improvement, ask about your options for making up assignments or exams, and create a plan to get back on track.