FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 18, 2009
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

Early alert system at MUW warns students about unsuccessful behaviors

COLUMBUS, Miss. – An enhanced early alert system is one of the many ways Mississippi University for Women is keeping students connected to the college.

Early alert efforts have been in place on campus for years, but the program now offers a complete network of care, according to Dr. Bucky Wesley, vice president for student services, who said there is collaboration on both the academic and student services sides.

“This is an effort to intervene at the lowest possible level to provide support to students to ensure success in the college community,” he said.

A student exhibiting classroom behavior such as excessive absences, poor tests or paper grades, un-submitted assignments, lack of participation or disruptive behavior, will receive a letter, which encourages the student to meet with his or her instructor or advisor. The letter also is copied to the advisor, according to Maria L. Dunser, who joined MUW about a year ago as the early alert coordinator.

“I send out the link for our program in prompts that go out at important points in the semester like after the last day to add or drop a class,” Dunser said. “For many students, this alert early in the semester provides the nudge that they need to utilize our campus resources, and this early contact helps the students to turn their semester in a more positive direction.”

Professors, as well as staff and students, are able to use the link on the university’s webpage to refer students who may be in need of assistance. 

Dr. Eric Daffron, MUW’s associate vice president for academic affairs, said, “Many universities have similar programs, but this one is special because it is coordinated with the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) through online software in an effort to support student success holistically.”

The BIT was established as the primary resource for addressing concerning behavior within MUW’s college community.