What are Course Alerts?
Course alerts are an important component in ensuring undergraduate student success.The process aligns with the university's strategic initiative priority of creating a common student-centered approach to teaching and learning and aims to improve retention and graduation rates for students. If students are alerted early in the semester, they have the time to take action, whether that means seeking additional instructor help or guidance, engaging a tutor or modifying their schedule accordingly.
A course alert may be submitted for undergraduate students who are not completing assignments, are missing class, are performing poorly on tests and assignments, or are otherwise struggling and may need help. Instructors from courses across campus are being asked to fill out a feedback form on student performance in their classes. Students are notified via email shortly after an instructor identifies them; additionally, advisors and other student success staff will then be able to reach out to students to offer resources and suggestions for improving performance. The sharing of this information is within FERPA parameters with an “educational need to know” to support student success.
The feedback form is available semester weeks 2 - 13, and allows faculty to:
- indicate students with excessive absences
- identify students at risk of poor academic performance (below a C)
- provide additional comments on why they think a student may be struggling in their course
Course alert schedule for Spring 2023
Changes to the course alert now accommodate five-week, eight-week, and 10-week sessions. Instructors are encouraged to submit their alerts as early as possible and well before the drop deadline for the term to help students improve their academic performance in the class. Instructors can submit their alerts more than once a term, but only once per student.
Spring 2023 Date Details
| Session | Classes begin | Last day of classes | Last day to drop or change P/F | Suggested deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder 16-Wk | Jan. 17 (Tues.) | May 4 (Thurs.) | March 24 (Fri.) | March 3 (Fri) |
| Boulder 8-Wk Session 1 | Jan. 17 (Tues.) | March 8 (Wed.) | Feb 20 (Mon.) | Feb 10 (Fri.) |
| Boulder 8-Wk Session 2 | March 9 (Thurs.) | May 5 (Fri.) | April 19 (Wed.) | April 7 (Fri.) |
| Boulder 5-Wk Session 1 | Jan. 17 (Tues.) | Feb 17 (Fri.) | Feb 7 (Tues.) | Feb 1 (Wed.) |
| Boulder 5-Wk Session 2 | Feb. 20 (Mon.) | March 24 (Fri.) | March 13 (Mon.) | March 8 (Wed.) |
| Boulder 5-Wk Session 3 | April 3 (Mon.) | May 4 (Thurs.) | April 24 (Mon.) | April 14 (Fri.) |
| CE Full Session | Jan. 23 (Mon.) | May 4 (Thurs.) | April 3 (Mon.) | March 10 (Fri.) |
| CE 10-Wk | Feb. 20 (Mon.) | May 4 (Thurs.) | April 12 (Wed.) | March 22 (Wed.) |
| CE Session 1 | Jan. 23 (Mon.) | March 9 (Thurs.) | Feb 22 (Wed.) | Feb 10 (Fri.) |
| CE Session 2 | March 13 (Mon.) | May 4 (Thurs.) | April 19 (Wed.) | April 7 (Fri.) |
Entering Course Alerts
- To start, log in to the Buff Portal Advising Course Alerts page.
- Select the course and section you'd like to enter information for from the dropdown menus then click Show Enrollments.
- You have four actions available (Click to expand the following drop down menus to learn about each method.):
- enter information manually
- use a .csv file/spreadsheet
- indicate all students are doing well
- confirm no formative assessments in the class/section.
- Please note that only currently enrolled students are visible on the form.
- Instructors can submit their alerts more than once a term, but only once per student
Manually Enter Course Alert Information
- To enter information for a given set of students, check the appropriate box – Below C or Excessive Absences
- Add any additional information to the Optional Comments column (optional).
- Click Next when finished.
- A pop-up window will appear to confirm that all students listed have satisfactory performance unless otherwise indicated. Once you select confirm, a success message will appear. Select another section to enter more information, or simply close the window that displays the form.
Please Note: Feedback can only be entered for a student once, then that student’s record becomes read only.
CSV Input of Course Alert Information
- Click on Upload CSV and find the file to upload. The four column headers needed for uploading via .csv are:
- SID
- Below C
- Excessive Absences
- Optional Comments
- The form only includes students currently enrolled in the course. The number of students on your file may differ from the number uploaded if students have withdrawn.
- A message will appear indicating the number of net new alerts added from the csv file they upload, X alerts uploaded from .csv. Click Next.
- A pop-up window will appear to confirm that all students listed have satisfactory performance unless otherwise indicated. Once you select confirm, a success message will appear noting the number of records updated.
- Select another section to enter more information, or simply close the window that displays the form.
Visit the Buff Portal Advising CSV Input of Course Alert Information tutorial for the full process.
Please Note: Feedback can only be entered for a student once, then that student’s record becomes read only.
Indicate All Students Are Doing Well
- Select the All students in this class/section are performing satisfactorily checkbox.
- Click Next, then a confirmation window will appear.
- Select Confirm.
- Select another section to enter more information, or simply close the window that displays the form.
Confirm No Formative Assessments in the Class/Section
- Select the No formative assessments in this class/section to date checkbox.
- Click Next, then a confirmation window will appear.
- Select Confirm.
- Select another section to enter more information, or simply close the window that displays the form.
