Frequently Asked Questions

(FACULTY & STAFF)

When should Early Alerts be initiated?

Instructors are encouraged to submit Academic Alerts as soon as a student is identified as “at risk” for the course. Early Alerts may be initiated for a variety of reasons that impact the student’s success, including excessive absences, poor exam/quiz scores, failure to submit course assignments/frequent late submissions that impact final grade, missed labs, or recommending tutoring.

Disciplinary issues, however, should not be submitted via the academic alert system. If a student requires a disciplinary referral, instructors should follow the University of Missouri–St. Louis policy and refer such matters to Student Affairs.

Who has access to the Early Alert system?

The Academic Alert system is accessible to various individuals on campus who are either connected to the alert or function as a referral service as part of the Early Alert process.

Students are the main focus of the system and will be notified via campus email whenever a faculty member raises an alert. Upon alert, each student is assigned to a specific academic support staff member that is responsible for making contact.

Course faculty only have access to the system for the courses they are teaching. Faculty may add comments or alert a student by identifying additional areas of concern at any time. Please Note: General comments made by faculty on the Early Alert system are shared with the student except when the comment is marked “private.” Private comments are information used by the assigned staff member only to gain a better understanding of the situation.

Staff in the Office of Student Enrichment & Achievement will be able to view all alerts, add comments, assign alerts to specific academic support staff, and assign appropriate campus resources.

Deans, Program Directors, Department Chairs, and College Academic Advisors are all provided access to the Early Alert system as needed for advising purposes.

Campus Referral Resources such as Health, Counseling & Disability Access Services, University Student Support, University Tutoring Center, etc. will be allowed to view and comment on the referrals forwarded to their departments.

Can I submit more than one alert for a student during the same semester?

Yes. Alerts can be initiated as many times as necessary. The appropriate staff will follow up on every alert to support the student.

What can faculty members expect as a result of utilizing this system?

The Early Alert system is guided by the following expectations:

Proactive, meaningful contact with students that addresses an issue/concern that may inhibit their success in a course
Solution-based support that is guided by best practices and university policies/procedures
Strategic and interactive intervention that is geared at holistic evaluation to determine primary success roadblocks
Continuous and up-to-date communication between the academic support staff member, the student, and the reporting faculty that promotes an intentional collaboration for success

What are some examples of how Academic Alerts are handled?

For attendance concerns, a student would be contacted to discuss why they have been missing classes. In support of this type of alert, it is important for faculty members to have a clear attendance policy on the syllabus that we can refer to when working with the student. Based on the discussion during the meeting, the designated staff member may take one or more of the following actions:

Assist the student in clarifying their goals for enrollment and why class attendance is important in achieving those goals
Suggest time management workshops and techniques that could assist the student in managing a busy schedule
Create an action plan to help the student create short-term, achievable goals for their course attendance
If warranting circumstances exist, discuss appropriate process/procedure for course withdrawal

For academic performance alerts, a student would be contacted to discuss the specific concern that is submitted ( i.e. assignments not submitted, low or failed quiz/exam). During this meeting, the focus would be on identifying the factor(s) that has (have) contributed to the performance issue. Based on the discussion during the meeting, the staff member for the designated department may take one or more the following actions:

Evaluation of student schedule and commitments
Making an appointment for student to take advantage of one or more support services (i.e. tutoring, supplemental instruction, labs)
Recommendation for attendance at appropriate study-skill workshop
Referral to Disability Access Services (where applicable)
Assist the student to prepare for a meeting with the faculty member during office hours

**These are just examples of how alerts may be handled; these examples do not provide an exhaustive list of intervention strategies. Each student referral will be reviewed individually and handled based on the specific circumstances presented.**