What do you mean by “at-risk”?
"At-risk" technically means at-risk of failing the course or of not getting the grade needed for the major. However, faculty can also let us know when a student's grade is ok, but the student has shared that they are struggling in some other way (like child care, health issues, etc.). When you indicate that a student is at risk, you are asked to select a reason from a dropdown menu in the next column. The reasons are essentially academic, personal, technology/remote learning, and engagement. The reason you select will help us determine what resources to offer. We are looking for your thoughts here. If you see a student struggling, and you think they could benefit from some support outside of the classroom, let us know!
I already reach out to students who are struggling in my class. How is this different?
Early Alerts should not replace what faculty are doing in their courses to support students. This program adds a layer of support that supplements the work that faculty are often doing with students. One difference is that when a student is marked 'at risk' in more than one class, their advisor gets that information and can work with the student on the underlying issues that are impacting their academic performance more globally. (Often, this can be scheduling issues, life/health issues, or more general academic unpreparedness, and we can work with students to connect to other types of resources.)
If you are reaching out to students and they are not responding, we can sometimes help there as well- we can often see if students have relationships with other folks on campus (for instance, in residence halls, athletics, or specialized programs) so that we can help them draw from their network. Additionally, we have partnered with the Athletics department, so that they can use our early alerts in place of the Mid-Term Grade checks that they have been requiring of athletes.
Finally, the Early Alerts Initiative helps us collect some data on a larger scale about which students are struggling and when; (For instance- we've learned that our transfer students tend to struggle more when they take three upper-division major courses in their first term at PSU. This helps us when we are meeting with them to schedule their first term) so, in participating, you are helping contribute to that overall body of knowledge.
What if I don’t have grades for my students yet?
That is ok! If you have a concern based on your own observation, we are happy to reach out. We do not tell students what grade was reported for them, just that we are offering support.
Am I violating my students’ privacy by sharing this information with advising?
Every person that interacts with Early Alerts information has an 'educational need to know', which means that sharing this information is not a violation of FERPA. Academic advisors already share grade and attendance information with faculty in a number of scenarios. However, you aren't required to enter the specific grade or attendance information, just whether a student may be at risk of failing, and what the reason may be.
That being said, we have seen the most success in this program's effectiveness when the faculty do tell students that they are participating. This gives students a heads up if they receive outreach from an advisor, and it often demonstrates that we are all working together to help.
Because we are working with so many faculty teaching a range of courses, advisors are in the unique position to see when students may need support that isn't directly related to the academic content of one course. However, we would never want you to feel pressured to provide any information that you are uncomfortable sharing. In the past, instructors have asked about sharing information that students revealed to them in confidence. In that case, please do not share any details. You can always ask a student if they would like to be connected to their advisor for additional support without needing to share their information.
What happens after the campaign is sent?
When you have submitted your campaign, students marked ‘at-risk’ will have an alert added in Navigate (the record-keeping system that advisors use to track interactions). For each alert reason you choose, the student will receive an email offering resources tailored to that reason, and an invitation to meet with their assigned advisor. We have worked with the Student Experience Project and other institutions to ensure that this messaging is supportive and helps encourage a sense of belonging for students. In some cases, (students who are reported as at-risk in multiple courses, or with personal/non-academic issues) students will receive outreach that is more personalized, or advisors will work to build connections for students with other members of their community (like RAs, coaches, affinity groups, etc.).
Will the students know by whom and why they were reported as "at-risk?"
Yes. When students receive Early Alerts outreach, they are encouraged to connect with the faculty member teaching their course, along with being offered other resources and ways to meet with their advisor. In the most successful Early Alerts programs, faculty tell their students (either in class or in their syllabus) that the course participates in this program, and that they may be offered some extra support during the term.