Building a Comprehensive Early
Warning System from the
Ground Up
Marcy Esler
Director of Student Retention
State University of New York The College at Brockport
The College at Brockport
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Total undergraduate enrollment – 7,000
New Freshmen – 1050
New Transfer Students – 1,300
Public
Masters
Selective
Comprehensive
The Mixture
“Student Life Cycle”
FYE
SYE
Career
Major
High
School
CC or other
feeder
institution
TYE
Graduate
Education
Components of System
• Early Warning Questionnaire
• Faculty alerts
• Contact with advisors at midterm
Early Warning Advisement Questionnaire
(EWAQ)
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Through Angel – locally developed
287/882 Transfer Students (33%)
823/1050 Freshmen (78%)
Prizes for completion
Automatic responses
– Statement: I have my schedule of courses for the semester all settled.
– Response if Disagree: If you don’t have your course schedule settled
by now, discuss this with your academic advisor ASAP. Your academic
advisor is the instructor of your freshman seminar course.
• Use for appeals decisions
Most Problematic Responses
for Freshmen
Freshmen
Transfers
May need tutor
42%
40%
Not getting very much out of reading the textbook
42%
35%
Not sure about career goals
31%
19%
Worried about writing skills
31%
16%
Not keeping up with reading
29%
27%
Feeling lost in course(s)
26%
25%
Concerned about money
23%
30%
Homesick
21%
11%
Haven't found of group of friends
18%
36%
Not able to understand lectures
17%
17%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I think I may be working
(employment) too many hours
Transfer scores 533% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
3%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
19%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I plan to graduate from The College
at Brockport
Freshman scores 200% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
9%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
3%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I am worried because I don't have
any idea what I want my major to be.
Freshman scores 175% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
11%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
4%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I have missed one or more classes
because I can't seem to get out of
bed in time to make it to class.
Freshman scores 150% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
10%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
4%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I haven't found of group of friends
who share my desire to really do well
academically this semester.
Transfers scores 100% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
18%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
36%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I am worried that my writing skills are
not adequate for college-level papers
and exams
Freshman scores 94% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen
with Problematic
Responses
31%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
16%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I am really homesick for my family
and friends
Freshman scores 91% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
21%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
11%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I feel like my family needs for me to
come home more than I should
Transfer scores 88% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
8%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
15%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I feel very lonely and isolated on this
campus so far
Transfers scores 82% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
11%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
20%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
I'm not at all sure about my goals for a
career at this time
Freshman scores 63% more
problematic
Problematic response
Agree
Percent of Freshmen
with Problematic
Responses
31%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
19%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
I have a hard time concentrating on
my school work because of some
family or personal problems that are
on my mind
Difference
Transfers scores 43% more
problematic
Problematic response
Disagree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
14%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
20%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I am concerned about having enough
money to finish this semester
Transfers scores 30% more
problematic
Agree
Percent of Freshmen
with Problematic
Responses
23%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
30%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
Difference
Problematic response
I am pleased with the course
selection I have received for this
semester
Transfers scores 25% more
problematic
Disagree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
16%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
20%
Early Warning Advisement
Questionnaire
Statement
I don't think I am getting very much
out of reading the textbook in one or
more of my courses
Difference
Freshman scores 20% more
problematic
Problematic response
Agree
Percent of Freshmen with
Problematic Responses
42%
Percent of Transfers with
Problematic Responses
35%
Preliminary Analysis
Average Midterm GPA
Average Semester GPA
Freshmen
Transfers
Freshmen
Transfers
Overall
2.78
2.59
2.89
2.77
Completed (T)EWAQ
2.87
2.73
2.98
2.87
(T)EWAQ not completed
2.46
2.51
2.58
2.72
2.75
2.69
2.89
2.89
3.00
2.76
3.13
2.85
2.86
2.55
2.89
2.56
2.71
2.70
2.81
2.90
Lowest score*< (T)EWAQ score
<= median score
Median score< (T)EWAQ score <=
highest score
Responded not graduating from
Brockport
Responded unhappy with course
selection
* (T)WAQ score is created by assigning a value of
1 to each problematic response and a value of 2 to
each non-problematic response then summing the
values for each student.
3.2
3.1
3
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.6
2.5
Semester GPAs
Freshmen
Transfers
Faculty Alerts
• Early feedback and fast action
• Proactive methods
• Focused efforts
Third-week Letter to Faculty
Early Warning System
As many of you know, The College at Brockport implemented a Banner based Early Warning System this fall and
the third week of class (this week) is a good time to begin entering alerts for students with poor attendance and/or
academic problems. Although you may enter an early warning at any time, a warning that comes at the first sign of
student difficulty maximizes the likelihood that we can successfully intervene in time to make a difference.
The Early Warning System recognizes the importance of:
– Early feedback from course instructors and fast action to address at-risk student behavior in an proactive manner
– More active methods of supporting students who are exhibiting at-risk behavior
– Focused retention efforts on those students who need it the most
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How can faculty use the Early Warning System?
To enter an early warning, go to the Faculty Services tab in Web Banner, just as you would access this system to
enter midterm or final grades. Once you choose a particular class and student, the drop-down choices, instead of
being letter grades, will include check boxes for some important risk indicators and a text box in which you can enter
any special comments on the student.
Faculty who enter a warning will receive follow-up information for each student.
For more information about the Early Warning System, contact Marcy Esler, director of student retention at
[email protected] or http://www.brockport.edu/retention/ew/.
Entering an Early Warning
Faculty Input Screen
Report Includes
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ID
First, Last Names
Cohort
Admit Term
Admit Type
Entry Type
Student Type
Advisor Name
Academic Standing
Institutional GPA
Earned Hours
• Major(s)
• Email
• Course Instructor, Name,
Number and Title
• Report Count
• Date Reported
• Non Attendance (Y or N)
• Poor Attendance (Y or N)
• Academic Problems (Y or N)
• Comments
Sample Student Email(s)
You are receiving this notice because your HLS 3xx instructor, Professor G, indicated through our Early
Warning System that your writing and research skills need improvement. I am particularly concerned
about this warning because your academic standing is Probation 1. I encourage you to:
–Discuss your performance in HLS 317 with your professor, and/or
–Talk with your academic advisor, Professor S., about strategies to return to good academic standing, and/or
–Make an appointment to meet with our transfer-year experience coordinator, Erin Rickman, and/or
–Take advantage of the academic support at the Student Learning Center. The Center, located in B14
Cooper Hall, offers a workshop on the “Research Paper Process” on three days during the month of
March. The dates are:
•Thursday, March 8
2-2:50 p.m.
•Wednesday, March 21
10:10-11 a.m.
•Tuesday, March 27
9:30-10:20 a.m.
You can also schedule a writing appointment by contacting Ms. G at xxx-xxxx.
I have copied the above mentioned individuals on this email so that you have their contact
information.
Sample Student Email(s)
You are receiving this notice because your BUS 3xx instructor, Professor T., indicated through
our Early Warning System that your attendance in this course is problematic and that your are
experiencing some academic difficulties.
Make your decision about dropping a course before Monday, February 20, 2012. You can still
withdraw from a course until 5:00 pm on Friday, April 6, 2012 without anyone’s permission but
after that you will need the departmental chairperson’s permission (this is hard to get).
I am particularly concerned, as your academic status is Probation 1. This is not the first time
you have been on probation, and your previous semester was particularly poor.
I encourage you to:
– Discuss the issues with your instructor, Professor T., and/or
– Speak with your academic advisor, Dr. R, about your plans to return to good academic
standing, and/or
– Make an appointment to meet with the transfer-year experience coordinator, Erin
Rickman.
The above mentioned individuals are all copied on this email so that you have their contact
information.
To request a tutor for a Business class, please call the Student Learning Center at (585) xxx-xxxx
or fill out an online tutor request form.
Sample Student Email(s)
You are receiving this notice because your instructor for THE 211, Professor K.,
indicated through our Early Warning System that you have not attended this
course.
I encourage you do discuss this with your advisor, Professor N., whom I have
copied on this email.
If you plan to drop the class, be sure to do it by 5 pm on Monday, February 20,
2012. But since dropping this course will bring you below full-time status (<12
credit hours) I also suggest that you check with our Financial Aid Office to see if
dropping below full-time will impact any financial aid you may be receiving.
Sample Faculty Email
I received an Early Warning System Alert that the above student has not been
attending his THE 2xx course. Has he been attending yours? See schedule below:
Thanks!
Alerts Fall 2011
120 alerts on 98 students
All
Transfers
Direct Entry
Other
98
29
65
4
GPA
1.16
1.08
1.20
1.36
% AD
18%
19%
22%
0%
% PRO
23%
19%
59%
50%
Number
98 Unique students
Color
Status at end of semester
Red
Academic Dismissal
Orange
Probation
Blue
Withdrawal or GPA < 2.0 but
accumulated < 12 credits
No fill
Good academic standing
Issues
• Faculty confidentiality
• Faculty overuse
• Time intensive
Thank you!
Questions?