Early Alert Procedure

79-000-1 BOT 05-26-16

EARLY ALERT PROCEDURE

Early Alerts (EAs) are designed as a communication tool between the Enrollment Management Office (EMO), center staff and instructors to assist in the retention of students. It is through this team effort we will be able to increase OLC retention, persistence and completion. It is not designed or meant to replace any face to face interaction between instructor and student, but to assist in the retention of the student. Instructors should try to address concerns prior to creating an early alert except in the case of attendance. Each unexcused absence should be recorded as an EA.

Roles and Responsibilities

Enrollment Management Office Responsibilities:  It is the EMOs responsibility to monitor EAs on a daily basis.  It is the EMOs responsibility to designate follow up assignment to appropriate OLC staff.  It is the EMOs responsibility to monitor task assignments for closure within five (5) working days.  It is the EMOs responsibility to review EAs on a weekly basis.  It is the EMOs responsibility to send reminder notifications to assigned OLC staff for EAs open longer than five (5) working days.  It is the EMOs responsibility to close EAs on a weekly basis.

 It is the responsibility of the EMO to ensure collaboration and communication between staff, faculty, adjunct faculty and students during the EA process from initiation to closure of the EA.

 It is the EMOs responsibility to document and report EAs on an annual basis.

Student Responsibilities:  It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the expectation outlined in the student handbook.  It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the expectations as outlined in the course syllabus.  It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to the OLC attendance policy 81-350.  It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand the disabilities policy 85-600.  It is the student’s responsibility to work with faculty, adjunct faculty and staff throughout the EA process when an EA is submitted. It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the intervention plan.

 It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to the add/drop policy 81-300.  It is the student’s responsibility to utilize OLC email to communicate with staff and faculty.

Instructor Responsibilities (Faculty & Adjuncts):  It is the instructor’s responsibility to attend Early Alert training.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to seek assistance as needed when creating and submitting an EA.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to work with students if possible prior to submitting an EA.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to submit EAs when students have an unexcused absence including and beginning the first week of class.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to monitor attendance weekly and throughout the semester according to attendance policy 81-350.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to identify students who are at risk in academic performance early in the semester, prior to midterm grades.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to use professional judgement to determine the concern type that best fits the student circumstance when creating an EA.

 It is the instructor’s responsibility to include specific details of this concern under part 6, “Detail about this concern”.

 It is the instructor’s responsibility to work with the student and OLC center staff/staff as needed to resolve the student concern.

Counselor/OLC staff responsibilities (College Center & Other Staff): Depending upon the structure, district personnel may serve dual roles.

 It is the responsibility of OLC staff to review EA emails and follow up assignments on a daily basis.

 It is the responsibility of OLC staff to take action and appropriately intervene depending upon the concern type and circumstance.

 It is the responsibility of the OLC staff to create an intervention plan documenting action taken to resolve the concern type.

 It is the responsibility of OLC staff to initiate follow up assignment within 24 hours depending upon the circumstance.

 It is the responsibility of OLC staff to follow up and work throughout the EA process by working with the instructor and student to create a detailed intervention plan.

 It the responsibly of OLC staff to close the follow up assignment when the detailed intervention plan has been created prior to the next class. The EA should be closed prior to the next class.  It is the responsibility of OLC Center Directors to notify the EMO of any changes in staff for EA follow up assignments.

Enrollment Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) Responsibilities:  It is the responsibility of the EMAC to annually review the EA annual report and review concern types.  It is the responsibility of the EMAC to review findings from the Institutional Effectiveness Report and Annual Report and make recommendations for continuous improvement (i.e. EA system, applicable policies and strategies for student success).

This procedure creates a systematic process for creating and closing an EA. The responsibility is not limited to the faculty; however, a majority of the EAs are initiated by faculty therefore the following steps are provided as a guideline.

The EMO is integrated throughout these steps and is responsible for assigning tasks, ensuring follow up of both assigned tasks and intervention plan and closing of the EA.

Enrollment Management Office (EMO):

1. The EMO will review EAs on a daily basis. 2. The EMO will assign follow up tasks as determined per EA to the appropriate counselor, district staff, OLC staff (i.e. Student Affairs/EAP, TRIO) within 24 hours of the EA submission. 3. The EMO will monitor EAs for intervention plans. 4. The EMO will edit concern type on an as needed basis (i.e. an EA has been created for attendance but it has been discovered that student has health, family, employment, etc. issues) 5. When an EA has been resolved and a detailed intervention plan has been created, the EMO will close the early alert. 6. When an EA is not able to be resolved and all reasonable efforts have been exhausted or no resolution is needed, the EMO will close the EA.

STEP 1

Faculty/Adjunct Faculty/Staff: 1. Identify a concern type regarding a student. (see concern types below) 2. Create an Early Alert (EA) in the Jenzabar Retention module. 3. Include specific details of the concern type identified in the details section of the EA. 4. All fields/information must be completed. These fields are available in drop down menus. This information is needed to better serve the student. 5. Submit the EA. STEP 2 Counselor/District Staff: 1. EAs will be addressed within 24 hours by OLC counselor/district staff upon assignment of follow up tasks. a. If student is not able to be contacted within 24 hours, the counselor/district staff will create an intervention plan incorporating communication strategies with student. b. Communication strategies should be documented in the intervention module of the EA and include various modes of communication efforts, for example: email, phone call, face to face, and social media (where permitted). c. When the counselor/district staff has exhausted all reasonable efforts to contact the student the counselor/district staff closes the follow up task assignment. 2. When a student is contacted, the counselor/district staff will create a detailed intervention plan in collaboration with the student in the Jenzabar EA module. 3. When the follow up task is complete and an intervention plan has been created, counselor/district staff will close follow-up task within the Jenzabar EA module. This signifies to the EMO that the task is complete and this EA is ready to be closed. 4. The intervention plan would be carried out by the appropriate individuals. Definition of Concern Types: Academic Attendance: Student is not attending class as defined in OLC Attendance Policy 81-350. Academic Grades: Student is not producing assignments or the quality of work is not sufficient to pass the class as per course syllabus. Employment Issues: Student has a conflict with employment. Family and Child Care: Student lacks care for a family member or child. Health Related: Student has a health related issue that is preventing them from attending class or producing quality work sufficient to pass the class. Social/Personal: Student is experiencing personal issues either inside or outside the classroom. Tardy/Leaving Early: Student is consistently late to class or is leaving before class has ended. Transportation: Student is experiencing transportation issues preventing them from attending class. Tutoring: Student is in need of outside class assistance to comprehend schoolwork. Definition of Terms Resolved: The concern issue has been addressed with the student and plan of action for student success has been documented in the intervention module of the EA. Not Resolved: All reasonable efforts to contact student have failed or the student did not work with counselor, staff or faculty to create a plan for student success. No Solution Necessary: The concern type did not need a plan for student success or the EA was meant as documentation and does not need a plan of action created in the intervention module of the EA. Detailed Intervention Plan: A plan of action created by faculty/counselor/district staff with the student that will resolve the concern and ensure the student’s success. Communication Strategies: Methods and attempts of contacting a student including: face to face, phone calls, email, and social media when permitted. Follow up Assignment: An assignment to follow up with a student made by the EMO to the appropriate district staff or counselor. Reasonable Efforts: A minimum of five phone calls, three emails, two face to face attempts that may include but are not limited to classroom or home visits when appropriate or circumstances allow.