1. EARLY ALERT REFERRAL SYSTEM
Itawamba Community College
Bronson Wilburn-Prochaska, Ph.D.

2. What is the Early Alert Program?
Program designed to identify students who may be at risk of academic difficulty or failure.
Proactive means of reaching students having problems in various areas of their lives.
Available to faculty & staff throughout the semester.
Online form so faculty and staff have access to submit student information to program 24/7.

3. Focuses on students experiencing…
Attendance problems
Inadequate class preparation
Poor test results
Poor writing skills
Underdeveloped time management
Underdeveloped study skills
Personal issues affecting student’s academic success
Campus resources (tutoring, career selection, etc.)
Adjusting to college life

4. Why an Early Alert Program? (Or, how did we get here from there?)
-Since 2000, enrollment has doubled
-Increased enrollment leads to increased number of students considered “at risk” or on academic probation
-Students of today are pulled in many directions and have more responsibilities than in previous years (decades)
-Easiest student to recruit is the one you already have
-Felt we had a responsibility to provide services to our students

5. Student Enrollment has Increased

6. Increased Enrollment Leads to Increased Number of Students “At-Risk”
Academic Probation

7. Then vs. Now (Over the years, our students have changed)
Then, our students could be placed in a nice little box and categorized as…… ………
1-Fulton Campus day student
2-Tupelo Campus day student OR
3-Tupelo Campus night student
Now, our students are “hybrid” students because they typically cannot be categorized by……………..
1-Campus
2-Time OR
3-Delivery method

8. Reasons Our “At Risk” Students Indicate They Become Disengaged in Educational Pursuits
Underprepared
Academically
Socially
Emotionally
Overwhelmed
Coursework
Freedom/Flexibility of college
Family Obligations
Social expectations/activities
Lack
Direction
Connection
Interest
Motivation/Initiative
Mandatory course placement
Advising
Peer Tutoring
Peer Mentoring
Counseling
Student Organizations & Activities
Early Alert Referral System
STARS
Technical Support (Blackboard & GO2ICC)
Financial Aid/Scholarships
Flexible course scheduling & delivery
Career Services
Etc.

9. Early Alert Referral System 2007-2008
Fall 2007
340 Referrals
61% were contacted by Student Services personnel
Most common reasons for referral:
Excessive absences
Struggling with material
Inadequate preparation
Missing homework/exams
Poor exam results/writing skills/time management/study skills
Personal issues affecting student
Spring 2008
147 Referrals
75% were contacted by Student Services personnel
Most common reasons for referral:
Excessive absences
Struggling with material
Inadequate preparation
Missing homework/exams
Poor exam results

10. Fall 2008 116 Referrals Most common reasons for referral:
Excessive absences
Struggling with material
Missing homework/exams
Poor exam results/writing skills/time management/study skills
Personal issues affecting student

11. Conditions for Optimal Student Retention
Students are more likely to persist and graduate in settings that:
expect them to succeed
provide clear and consistent information about institutional requirements and effective advising
provide academic, social and personal support
involve them as valued members of the institution
foster learning…the ultimate key to student retention
Vincent Tinto

12. What we do to in our Early Alert Program after receiving the alert…
Print students academic transcript that includes current class schedule
Assign counselor to case and this information to referring party
student-express concern and indicate that someone from department will be contacting them soon
Counselor contacts student to discuss issue (via telephone or in office meeting)
Student may be referred to other campus resources if needed (tutoring, disability services, advisor, etc.)
Additional meetings may be scheduled-discretion of the counselor and student

13. Reactions from students & staff……
“I appreciate someone checking with me to see if I need anything, it makes me feel important” “just knowing that I have someone I can go to makes me feel like you care” “the Early Alert program has helped with attendance in my science classes”

14. “…at last the ladder, which had been built slowly, slowly, one hope at a time, reached up to the
clouds.
And the dreamer began to climb.”