Dear Faculty Colleagues,
Course warning rosters are available for your review and action. The sooner faculty post concerns about a student, the sooner the student's administrative dean and academic advisor can coordinate efforts to help that student achieve success. Faculty notification provides students with time to respond and to take corrective action to succeed in their courses.
How course warnings work:
Students who are struggling in one subject are often having difficulties in other courses as well. Administrative deans do not necessarily meet with a student who receives one course warning; however, they will meet with students who receive two or more course warnings.
Administrative deans, who receive warning reports, are often in the best position to put together information from several sources and see the pattern of potential failure. One of the strongest early warning signs of academic trouble is absenteeism. While we are still asking for course warnings at mid-semester and around the time(s) exam grades are available, we are also asking for warnings at any point in the semester when a student exhibits noticeable difficulties (and not simply poor performance in class work).
Please know that students and faculty advisers will receive copies of the warning reports in their Colgate email accounts. Students receiving warnings will be encouraged to meet with you, their academic adviser, and their administrative dean for help in making improvements. Again, feedback from these course warning reports is important, especially for first-year students.
How to issue a course warning:
Course warnings are available directly within the Colgate portal. Select the appropriate class from the Faculty Dashboard to see your course roster. In the "Course Warning" column, you can submit a course warning for a student by following the "Submit Warning" link in the appropriate row. Clicking on this link will bring up a form for that student that allows you to select from several different concerns (this can be customized using the "Other" checkbox, which allows you to add your own text) and to select from a list of recommendations for the student. You will also have space to add an optional note that will be visible only to the student's administrative dean. After you have filled in the appropriate information, you should review the course warning. Once you are satisfied with the course warning memo, you must press the "Approve and submit" button at the bottom of the screen. The course warning will immediately be sent to the student via email with a copy sent to the academic adviser, administrative dean, and all faculty members listed as the instructors of record for the course.
Please note that the system was experiencing technical difficulties earlier in the semester. Those difficulties have been resolved and the system is live for your use.
Importance of timing:
The purpose of this system is to identify issues proactively so that students can get the assistance they need to improve the quality of their work. Even so, some students may elect to withdraw from your course with a grade of "W." This semester, the last day to withdraw with a "W" is Wednesday, March 27, by 4:30 p.m. We strongly recommend submitting course warnings well before this date, to allow students time to consult with their academic adviser and administrative dean about their best course of action.
Many thanks in advance for your help in ensuring our students the best opportunities for academic success.
Sincerely,
Lesleigh Cushing, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Murray W. and Mildred K. Finard Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of Religion
Paul J. McLoughlin II, Vice President and Dean of the College