Retention Alert
Three Ways to Contribute an Alert Case
Issues to Report
Retention Alert= This student may need support.
Student disclosed that they have a disability or received assistance (IEP/504) in the past.
Student is consistently missing assignments, performance has dropped significantly, failing or at serious risk of failing, and/or stopped attending.
Student is concerned about issues with a roommate, food options, and/or another housing-related issue.
Student is considering a gap semester or longer leave of absence.
Student shared they may be transferring to another institution.
Student is considering withdrawing from a course or completing a total withdrawal.
Student disclosed that they have/had a family emergency that may impact academic success.
Student does not have access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality.
Student describes a financial or personal barrier that is interfering with school.
Student attends class but doesn't participate or seems disinterested. If online, doesn't spend adequate time in course.
You are concerned about a student's mental and/or physical health.
Student is missing enough classes that their grade may be impacted.
You have a concern about a student that does not fit well into another category or may not require immediate attention (e.g., lack of transportation).
Retention Alert is not a replacement for talking with a student or a disciplinary reporting system.
For an emergency/crisis reporting or Public Safety concern, please use SeeTellNow.
SeeTellNow/Public Safety = "This situation may involve a safety, crisis, behavioral, or urgent concern."
- Threats or violence: Threats of harm, planned fights, or weapons concerns.
- Bullying, harassment, or intimidation: Repeated targeting, threatening behavior, or harassment.
- Self-harm concerns: A student expressing thoughts of suicide or wanting to hurt themselves.
- Drugs or alcohol: Concerns involving illegal drugs or dangerous alcohol-related behavior.
- Other safety concerns: Behavior that may threaten the safety or well-being of students or campus community members.
If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services and follow campus emergency procedures.
Best Practices
- Whenever possible communicate with the student before submitting a referral (contribution).
- Faculty will only make contributions for their own advisees in order to formally document the concern or to inform other campus entities (e.g. Food Pantry, Residence Life, Student Success Center).
- Faculty Advisors will be responsible for managing their own advisee cases.
- When contributing, provide as much detail as possible for the advisor to review (in Summary and Detailed Notes).
- Faculty are not responsible for diagnosing a student’s concern, they are reporting what they observe and the information the student has shared with them related to their course.
- Reach out to your advisee within 24 hours of receiving Retention Alert email.
- If the student doesn’t respond to email, try calling the student. Your division office can text the student for you to schedule an appointment.
- Discuss the contribution with your advisee.
- Together, develop a plan to address the contribution issue(s).
- Provide campus resources and referrals when appropriate.
- Close case once solution has been discussed and student plan has been put in motion.
- Optional, send follow-up email to contributor to let them know it has been resolved.
- Follow-up with your advisee within two weeks of closing the case for a progress check-in.