Frequently Asked Questions
Following are the answers to some frequently asked questions about this advising initiative.
What are the objectives of this initiative?
To provide students with information on how they are doing early enough in the semester for them to get on a path to success if they aren’t already, but far enough in for faculty to have an accurate assessment (every fall and spring semester beginning on the Monday of the 6th week of classes to the Friday on the 8th week of classes).
- To provide this information to advisors, residential life staff, and others to connect students with resources and support (academic, health/wellness, financial, basic needs).
- To analyze results and measure impact.
What is an example of an Early Alert Rubric?
- The following Early Alert rubric was developed by faculty in the English Composition and Seminar programs, and will be used in ENGL101/102, First-Year and Intermediate Seminar courses:
At risk of failing =
Currently failing or patterns suggest student is at risk of failing (e.g., several missed writing assignments + many absences, etc.).
Caution =
Currently passing but student exhibits patterns that could eventually lead toward low grade/failure (e.g., a "C" average + many absences or missed/late assignments).
Satisfactory =
Consistent satisfactory progress is being made.
What is some language I can add to my syllabi about Early Alerts?
- The following text can be adapted to add to your syllabi:
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Early Alerts
Please note that I participate in the Early Alert program to provide you with some early information on how you are doing in this course. Between Monday, October 6th and Friday, October 24th, I will submit early alerts in WISER based on the following rubric.
[Insert your own rubric using the model above to indicate what a At Risk of Failing, Caution, or Satisfactory alert means in the context of your course]
To check for alerts once they are submitted, click on the GRADES icon in the mobile view; make sure you are in the correct semester; go to OFFICIAL and pull down the choices; select PROGRESS REPORTS.
If you receive a Caution or At Risk of Failing alert, I suggest that you come to see me during my office hours, check in with your advisor, and/or visit the Center for Academic Excellence for tutoring and other academic support services. If you receive a Satisfactory alert, keep up the good work!
How can I notify my students that I submitted Early Alerts?
- The following email text can be adapted to send to your students from WISER when submitting alerts:
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Please note that I have submitted early alerts in WISER and check to see if you received a Satisfactory, Caution, or At Risk of Failing alert in this course. To check for alerts, click on the GRADES icon in the mobile view; make sure you are in the correct semester; go to OFFICIAL and pull down the choices; select PROGRESS REPORTS.
If you received a Caution or At Risk of Failing alert, I suggest that you come to see me during my office hours, check in with your advisor, and/or visit the Center for Academic Excellence for tutoring and other academic support services. If you received a Satisfactory alert, keep up the good work!
What is the Early Alert process?
- Monday, October 6 - Friday, October 24 – Faculty can use the Mid-term Grade function in WISER to submit mid-term “grades” (At Risk of Failing; Caution; Satisfactory). Faculty can also enter "grades" in Canvas and import to WISER.
- Mid-term rosters will be run by the Registrar’s Office for all undergraduate courses, and all faculty may submit mid-term grades using the Mid-term Grade function in WISER.
- Unlike on final grade rosters, you do not need to enter a mid-term grade for every student on the roster to save it. You may do as many as you wish and then SAVE, which will post alerts for those students. You may also go back once saved and change the mid-term grade or enter mid-term grades for additional students and save again throughout the mid-term grade period Monday, October 6 – Friday, October 24.
- By end of day on Friday, October 24 – Please complete your Early Alert submissions. This will enable advisors to begin reaching out to students as soon as possible. Submissions after October 24 may not be included in advisors’ outreach to students.
- Monday, October 27 – Undergraduate students (regardless of whether or not the student received any alerts) will be notified by the Office for Advising Excellence that alerts have been posted in WISER for some courses; the email will be used as an opportunity to connect students to resources, suggest that it is a good time in the semester to talk to instructors about how they are doing, and to meet with an advisor, even if the student does not receive any alerts.
- If possible, please email your class from WISER or make an announcement in Canvas to let them know that you submitted alerts, and to ask them to check WISER to see the alert (see sample template).
- During the week of October 27, advisors will use our Advising Case Management (ACM) tool to track, manage, and share Early Alert information related to their students.
- Residence Life staff, Athletics, Ross Center for Disability Services, Student Success Programs, Center for Academic Excellence, and other support offices will encourage students to check WISER for early alerts and engage in discussions about the information.