Course Alerts

While students should be placed on “alert” if they are currently earning a grade of “D” or “F,” or if it is suspected that a student’s continued performance may result in a final grade of “D” or “F,” course alerts are most effective when they are issued early enough in the semester for the student to connect with supports and take corrective action. Students may not have viable options for taking corrective measures when course alerts are issued once a student is no longer able to achieve a grade of “C” or higher or after the drop period has ended. 

It is recommended that course instructors issue a Course Alert when they begin to notice signs of disengagement, such as increased absences, missing work or lack of preparation. A review of the literature on student success (Chipchase, L., et al., 2017) highlights the importance of reaching out to seemingly disengaged students early and often as the underlying causes of disengagement are multivaried and complex. When we can identify and support these students in a timely manner, we are much more likely to help them address the underlying concerns so that they can persist and succeed.

Additionally, sometimes students may share legitimate reasons for why they are struggling to meet the expectations of a class. When this occurs, it is still important to issue a Course Alert as it allows Assistant Deans of Student Success to connect these students with resources, understand their options and find the right balance between their personal concerns and their academic goals.

The course instructor of record can submit the information for a course alert directly into an online Care Form.

The information you provide in the course alert form will be emailed to the student, the student’s academic advisor, and the Directors of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Research (CTLR) along with an invitation to meet with someone in the Center for Student Success. Students also receive follow-up information and outreach from the CTLR. 

Remember that you control the narrative in your course alert message. Students do best when feedback is focused on concrete behaviors (e.g., “you missed 2 out of the last 4 quiz sections” vs. “you don’t seem very engaged”) and is coupled with viable steps for getting back on track (e.g., “let’s set up an appointment to meet and discuss how you can make-up the work you missed. I would like to see you turn in a version of the discussion section activity no later than a week from today”). These narratives are also great opportunities to direct students toward course specific resources (e.g., “I find that students often benefit from setting up weekly appointments with peer tutors in the writing center. I encourage you to set up an appointment and bring the instructions for our first writing assignment with you. I have enjoyed hearing the perspective you share in class and look forward to reading your continued analysis in the paper that is due on October 12th.”

Many students who receive course alerts dramatically improve their performance in the class in which they have received the course alert. In addition to inviting the student to connect with you, these alerts often begin a conversation with staff in the Center for Student Success in which an Asst. Dean for Student Success 1) discusses the matter with the student, 2) informs the student of Learning Resources, 3) provides the student information about other types of available resources, and 4) invites the student in for further follow-up. For students who receive more than one alert in two or more subjects, the dean also notifies the parents or guardians. An official course alert and a meeting with a dean have proven to be successful combinations in helping students improve their performance.

Creating low stakes assignments and evaluations early in the semester is a way to give students early feedback about their performance in your class. Structuring your course in this way allows students to modify their approach and take corrective measures if their performance is not meeting their expectations. For students who continue to struggle, this allows instructors to issue course alerts early in the semester. Remember, students are taking 3-5 classes a semester, and are not always mindful of how work can pile up. We want to make sure that students are connected to the resources that will allow them to be successful in all of their courses, or to be able to explain options such as dropping a course or withdrawing from the college without classes appearing on their transcript before the deadlines for these options have passed.