Academic early alert system to change in 2017
November 14, 2016
Georgia Southern University’s early alerts system for academic standing will change for Fall 2017 to alert students taking any core class about their progress.
In the past, students who classified as a freshman were sent early alerts for at-risk grades. Now, students will be sent academic alerts in course areas A-E to incorporate all core classes.
“We [the faculty senate] think the communication will be clearer between faculty and students. This change to the academic alerts is opening it up also to make it appropriate for the courses that students are taking earlier in their college career,” Chris Caplinger, director of First Year Experience, said.
The faculty senate met with Eudiah Ochieng, vice president of academic affairs for the Student Government Association, on Oct. 31 to discuss and make changes to the early alert system.
“I meet with Provost Bartels monthly, and the concern for alerts extended past freshman year in hopes to allow students to be aware of their academic standing in courses was expressed last month,” Ochieng said.
The alerts serve as a precautionary measure for faculty to alert students when they are not doing well in their academic classes.
The faculty senate voted to change the name of early alerts to academic alerts, because students were confusing academic alerts with eagle alerts.
Caplinger said, “Students are the authors of their own educational journey. We need to equip students to be able to be the ones who are in charge of their own academics, and that means that they need to be responsible.”