Faculty and staff information
What is Early Alert?
The Early Alert Program supports student learning by identifying
students who may be at risk of academic difficulty or failure. Your
awareness and/or timely response to student academic problems is the
cornerstone of the program.
When do I make a referral?
As soon as you see signs of academic distress or withdrawal,
please speak to the student about your concerns. It may also be
appropriate to consult with the student's advisor. If you see no
signs of improvement, submit an
online referral.
Potential areas of concern
- Excessive/unexplained absences
- Missed assignments or exams
- Habitual tardiness
- Low quiz and test grades
- Unprepared or disengaged with class discussions
- Classroom behavioral problems
- Evidence of weak study skills
- Health concerns
- Concern that student is struggling to balance work, family
and school commitments
- Potential isolation from other students
Who can make a referral?
Although both faculty and staff referrals are appropriate, it is
often faculty who first see the signs of academic problems in
class and make a referral. For numerous reasons, however, a
coach, advisor or residence hall director might also see a need
to initiate a student referral.
How do I make a referral?
Submit an
online referral form.
All referrals are sent to a dedicated e-mail account in
the learning center. These forms are used to initiate
contact with the student so the information you include
may be shared with the student.
What happens after the referral form is submitted?
The student will receive an
outreach letter
from the Student Success coordinator, with copies sent to the
student's advisor and you, the referral source. In this letter
the student will be encouraged to meet with you and his/her
advisor. In addition the student will be invited to schedule an
appointment with the learning center to discuss academic
services and campus resources. The intervention may vary
depending on the circumstances reported. If requested, the
coordinator can provide you a follow-up report on the
intervention.
What is the Student Success Committee?
The Student Success Committee meets regularly to collect
relevant information from key campus departments so that
a course of action can be developed to best address a
student's needs. It includes the:
- dean of students
- director of admissions
- learning center director
- disability support services coordinator
- director of service and diversity
initiatives
- assistant dean of student financial services
- residence life director
- First Year Seminar director
Academic advisors are always notified
and invited to attend these meetings
when one of their advisees is scheduled
for discussion. Other university
personnel may be asked to attend when
appropriate. In accordance with 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.
Meetings are coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs.
Faculty and staff can make a direct referral to the committee by
contacting Mary Maselli,
executive assistant to dean of students and vice president of
finance, 360-438-4367, or
Deborah DeBow, Learning
Center director, 360-438-4570.
What is the 4-week letter?
During the fourth week of the term, the registrar sends a letter
to faculty whose classes include students on probation.
Instructors are asked to monitor these students' academic
progress and to notify Early Alert through its
online referral form when
appropriate. For more information on academic probation, please
refer to the
SMU academic catalog (page 73). If you have any questions,
please contact the
student success coordinator, 360-486-8823.