Helpful Resources and Frequently Asked Questions
The Academic Early Alert at CWU is one of the ways we provide timely assistance to help students that may be struggling in classes. They are not a mid-term grade or part of a student's transcript; they are a tool that helps provide students and their advisors with information and insight into the student's progress in a course.
FAQs for Students
- I received an alert from my instructor. What should I do?
Faculty often make comments that provide you with information on recommended next steps. If they did not, or if you do not understand part of their recommendations, we recommend scheduling an appointment to meet with your faculty member to discuss your progress in the class, areas you are struggling with, and how you can improve.
As an example, you can send an email that looks like:
Greetings, Professor Wildcat,
I hope you are well this week. I received the alert you posted; thank you for letting me know of your concern. I would like to meet to discuss the course and how I can improve. I would also like to let you know about a situation that is affected my academic performance.
I know you have office hours, but as this may be a longer conversation, I would like to schedule an appointment. I am available on campus Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00pm to 4:00 pm and via phone or Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am-3:00 pm. If these times are not available, please let me know alternative times.
Thank you,
Student Name, Student ID number
Course and Section (for example, UNIV 101.001).
- What resources exist that can help me when I am struggling in a course?
There are lots of great resources at CWU to help you improve in a course. If you do not see something here that you find helpful, please reach out to your academic advisor or faculty member for additional resources.
Learning Commons- offers in-person tutoring for math and writing at the Ellensburg campus and online, Peer-Assisted Labs for select classes, and tutoring in some subjects.
eTutoring- online tutoring for all students in select subjects.
CWU Library- The library is more than just a place to get books. Their research librarians can help students navigate the research process and identify the perfect resources to support their academic
Wellness Center- supports health and wellness education for students.
Counseling Center- Provides counseling for students attending the Ellensburg Campus.
Student Health Services- Provides non-emergency medical and healthcare appointments for students attending the Ellensburg campus.
WildcatCare 365- Provides telehealth services for all CWU students.
Case Management- CWU’s Office of Case Management strives to identify and connect with students experiencing obstacles to success. It enhances holistic student wellness through assessment, support, and connections to various formal and informal resources.
FAQs for Advisors
- What should I do when I receive an academic early alert?
Staff advisors provide the primary follow-up for academic alerts. Advisors should review the information provided by the faculty, review the student's academic record- including if any other alerts are posted, and reach out to the student. You should include resources that may be particularly supportive, encourage them to connect with their faculty member, and offer general support. If you see another issue in their records, please make them aware. You should also include important dates (withdrawal dates, Credit/No credit deadline, etc).
If a student has more than one academic alert, we highly recommend calling the student if you have not been able to connect via email or you are unaware of their circumstances.
If you have questions regarding a specific alert, please contact the faculty member directly.
- What should I do if I receive an alert that isn't really academic in nature?
If you receive an alert for a student that does not seem appropriate for you to follow up on, please consult your advising director, supervisor, or department chair. Additionally, you can send the alert to AcademicSuccess@cwu.edu for guidance on how to proceed.
FAQs for Faculty
- How do I post an Academic Early Alert?
Faculty can post an alert for any student on their roster by clicking the exclamation mark on their roster in MyCWU, next to the name of the student they wish to submit an alert for. Alerts can be submitted for academic or attendance reasons where they are at risk of earning a low or non-passing grade.
Academic advisors provide follow-up for academic alerts. Faculty should not use the Academic Early Alert function to report concerns about a student's conduct, academic dishonesty, mental or physical health concerns, or behavior. If a faculty member is concerned about one of these areas, they can submit a Behavior of Concern report.
- What happens when I submit an alert for a student? The student will receive an automatic email notifying them that an alert was submitted, it will include any comments submitted with the alert.The student’s advisor receives a daily summary of all alerts submitted in the previous 24 hours for any student assigned to them. The advisor will email or call students with alerts posted, depending on the information provided in the alert.Faculty will get an email with a summary of all alerts they submitted in the last 24 hours.
- I keep my students up to date on where they stand in my class. Why is it important that I submit academic alerts? Academic alerts help Central provide additional support to both students and faculty. Advisors can use them to intervene and provide resources to a student. Additionally, if the student has other academic alerts, an advisor has a more holistic perspective of the student's situation and needs.Alerts are also retained in MyCWU as part of the student's record, providing a history that advisors can later review when working to connect students with resources.
- What is helpful to include when I post an alert? What should I not include?
The academic early alert function provides a comment box for faculty to include additional information. This is extremely helpful for both the student and the advisor. Students will receive the comments via email which can help the student understand their circumstances and what steps the faculty member recommends be taken.
When faculty post just "Academic" or just "Attendance," it limits an advisor's options to provide targeted resources or information. Often, it results in an advisor reaching out in a general manner and can delay getting the student connected to resources promptly.
Comments also help an advisor prioritize the type of outreach needed.
Comments are part of the student’s record, so professional and objective language should be used when communicating concerns.If you have questions regarding whether or not something is appropriate to report via the Academic Early Alert system, please reach out to AcademicSuccess@cwu.edu.