We have adapted an Orientation Week. This allows the students to be on campus 4 days of the first week so that we can be hands on with their new arrival. We ensure that they can log into the LMS as well as get online with their first GE course. We are also very proactive with phone calls to the students that have not made attendance to ensure that they are brought up to speed.
One practice I started doing recently was, if a student starts to miss to much time, I get with student services and they will reach out to the student to find out what obsticles they are facing and can we do anything to help your cause. Sometimes it as simple as a tank of gas until payday. Our campus has resources set aside for un for seen issues that may arise in a students day to day life.
We will find out whether a student needs tutoring or a mentor. We also have a math tutor that comes to our campus twice a week and we offer Saturday tutoring so the students can come in and work on their projects.
Attendance is recorded every day, and our registrar will alert us when there is a student out 3 consecutive days. Grades are input every week. I have weekly meetings with the Director and others to go over students that are under 80% in attendance and under 70% GPA. Students that are not meeting this requirement will be advised and we will find out whether the student needs tutoring or a mentor. If attendance is an issue we will find out the reason for their absence and try to resolve the problem.
Marissa, are you saying that the students have to log the equivalent of 100% of the scheduled classroom hours? How long is the program?
Our school is a credit/ hrs based so for students to just show up everyday is a huge commitment and when ever they miss they have to make up the work they missed plus the hours they missed in order to graduate
Kevin, sounds like you have a pretty sophisticated data base. Is this home grown or is it a commercially available program?
Joseph, has this been effective? Do find that waiting until midterm may be too late?
Aurora, what's your success rate in reaching the students? How effective have you been in getting them re-engaged with the class work?
Karyn, does this mean that your students have to do something to record their attendance? How is this done?
Renee, what tools do you use to maintain constant communication with your students? Do you include social media? Do you have any formal tools to evaluate stress levels?
At the close of each class the instructor submits attendance for the class period that day/night. Contained within the attendance interface is a phone icon... if the student is not present we call the number provided and leave a message. As well, we have the option of sending an email to the student's faculty advisor should attendance or other items (e.g. papers not turned in on time) start to mount up.
In this way we go beyond and keep lines of communication open between faculty-student-student advisor to show the student we are committed to their success.
We councel students at the midterm when thier attendance or grades fall below a certain percentage. This forces us to speak with our student body and keep current with each of their needs and outcomes.
Instructors call students whenever they are absent, if the student does not call in. If they are absent three days in a row, I will call them and find out what issues they may be having and suggests ways of helping to resolve the issue.
Our first week of school, we have our students sign in as well as post attendance. It insures that the student is here and we are posting attendance correctly. After 3 days of missed class the students come up on a list and the instructor is to call and then post a note in the portal which the academic team can see. I call my students on their first missed day. if their number is incorrect as soon as they return I have them see the registrar to get a correct number.
Our first week of school, we have our students sign in as well as post attendance. It insures that the student is here and we are posting attendance correctly. After 3 days of missed class the students come up on a list and the instructor is to call and then post a note in the portal which the academic team can see. I call my students on their first missed day. if their number is incorrect as soon as they return I have them see the registrar to get a correct number.
We are in constant communication with new students on how they are doing, offering help or tutoring and just to see how they are doing emotionally (stree level).
Annie, who's on the retention team? How many departments are involved and who supervises the effort?
We have a retention team. If students don’t call in to school to miss a day, someone from the retention team calls them, and continues to follow up with the student if the student continues to miss class.
Kristina, have you seen positive results from this initiative?
