Many different issues and situations can lead to academic difficulty. Asking the student for his or her assessment of what is getting in the way of successful course completion can be a good first step to opening the discussion. Be alert for the following issues, which should be considered and discussed when working with students who appear to be in academic difficulty.

Distribution and Management of Time
Does the student budget time wisely on a daily, weekly, and semester basis? How many hours each week are devoted to study? Are there certain kinds of courses (e.g., math, writing, reading) that are of special concern?

Study Skills
Does the student know how to study? Reading speed or comprehension may be a problem. A referral to the Learning and Academic Skills Center (LASC) in 109 Eddy Hall, may be in order. LASk 1001—Becoming a Master Student—may be a beneficial course for some students. The two credits listed for this course will count toward a CLA degree as non-CLA credit within the 6-credit limit for developmental coursework. LASC also offers free extracurricular seminars addressing individual study skills and individual skills counseling. There is also a class called LASk 1101. It is for students who are already on probation.

Ability
What is the student’s general ability specific to the proposed field of study or to particular courses? Identify strengths and weaknesses, as indicated by the SAT, PSAT or ACT scores, and TCE form. Perhaps the same student who is having difficulty with the heavily quantitative pre-management program, for example, would have no trouble earning satisfactory grades in courses required for a communication studies or urban studies major. Also look for AAR scores of 110 or below. These may indicate at risk students.

Academic Background and Preparation
Does the student have an adequate background in high school science or mathematics to handle the courses required for his or her program? Has the student registered for the appropriate level of sequenced courses and/or have they completed the prerequisites? Discuss strategies for determining placement and for acquiring additional preparation (e.g., GC math courses, writing labs, tutors, placement testing).

Interests and Motivation
What were the student’s reasons for choosing a particular course of study? Does the student enjoy school or like some subjects more than others?

Outside Activities
Are the student’s work hours or extracurricular activities interfering with his or her studies? Are finances, housing, poor health, or family demands significant factors behind the student’s unsatisfactory performance?

Personal and Emotional Adjustment
Is the student undergoing a crisis (e.g., death or divorce in the family, problems with a relationship, chemical dependency, or mental health issues)? A referral to University Consulting and Career Services (UCCS) or another agency on campus may be appropriate. Students from small towns or small high schools sometimes have difficulty adjusting to the size of the University or life in the Twin Cities.

Personal Goals and Career Plans
The student may need some encouragement in choosing a major or considering an alternative. The student may wish to take the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). A referral to the Career and Community Learning Center, to ID 1201—Career Exploration, or to UCCS may also be appropriate. Students who are uncomfortable in traditional CLA programs may find CLA’s IDIM or BIS programs or the Inter-College Program better suited to their educational objectives. Such students may also be interested in looking into a field learning or cooperative education internship, or in study abroad.

CLASS Interventions

Mid-term Alerts
The mid-term alert system was developed from the recommendations of the Graduation and Retention Task Force Report from the Twin Cities Council of Undergraduate Deans. It requires that all instructors of 1xxx-level courses provide students who appear to be in danger of receiving a grade of D, F, or N with an alert notifying them of the unsuccessful grade through the sixth week of the semester. This system may also be used to send positive alerts to students who are doing well. The system is required for 1xxx-level courses because the University Senate Committee for Educational Policy (SCEP) was particularly concerned about students who are new to the University. Instructors of upper-level classes may also use this system; however, it is not required at this time.

We want to provide students with an early warning of poor performance in a class so that they have ample time to improve their class performance or remedy the situation in a different manner. We also want to involve advisers as early as possible so that they can advise students when they have more options available to them.

When a student in the College of Liberal Arts receives an alert, his/her CLASS adviser is also sent a copy. Advisers follow up with students to help them identify the problem and then work with them to create an academic plan for a successful semester. By working with their CLASS adviser, students are more informed about resources available to them and other options if obtaining a successful grade is not possible.

Probation Appointments
Students who do not maintain a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 or a term GPA of at least a 2.0 will be placed on academic probation, with a hold placed on their record. As a result, students are required to meet with their adviser prior to registering for the next semester. (See Academic Probation, Section 7.1 in the CLASS Advising Manual for more information). There are two ways students can have probation holds (PB or P1) moved, allowing them to register for the next term.

1. Meet with an adviser in a one-on-one appointment to discuss the current semester’s progress and to establish academic goals for the next semester.

2. Attend an academic appraisal clinic and speak with an adviser briefly about the current semester’s progress and academic plans for the next semester.

By requiring students on academic probation to meet with an adviser, we hope to foster a productive relationship between the student and CLASS that continues even after they improve their academic performance.

Requiring students on probation to meet with an adviser prior to registration allows advisers to monitor an already difficult situation. In doing so, advisers may be able to help students identify an ongoing problem that is causing academic difficulty and help them resolve the issue or recommend other alternatives if immediate resolution is not possible.

University of Minnesota Campus Resources for Students in Academic Difficulty

Career
CLA Career & Community Learning Center (CCLC)

University Counseling & Consulting Services (UCCS)

Counseling (Personal)
Boynton Health Service

Mental Health Clinic

University Counseling & Consulting Services (UCCS)

The Aurora Center (formerly the Program Against Sexual Violence)

Sexual Violence Crisis Line (24 hour)

Financial

Student Emergency Loan Fund

Math Tutors
150 Lind Hall (walk-in)
GC Academic Resource Center - Math Center

Science Tutors
Assistance is available for students who are experiencing difficulty in Math, Physics and Chemistry.
128/150 Lind Hall
612-624-2890

All three departments (Math, Physics and Chemistry) arrange tutoring for introductory courses within the department. In addition, tutoring service is available in all three areas in three different formats and locations. These services are available to any student from any college and are available during day hours only. Tutors are also available, free-of-charge, for students living in the residence halls during evening hours from Sunday through Thursday evenings, 7 - 10 p.m.

Study Skills
Learning & Academic Skills Center

Workshops

Individual assistance

Resource Center (videos, books, tapes)

LASk 1001 - Mastering Skills for College Success (2 cr)

LASk 1101 - Academic Success (1 cr)

Writing
Writing Support Network

Student Writing Center

GC Academic Resource Center

Other resources
Office of Multicultural and Academic Affairs

Disability Services

Minnesota English Center

Academic and Distributed Computing Services

Student Dispute Resolution Center

Student Parent Help Center

Minnesota Women’s Center

One Stop
University Resources for Academic Achievement

Learning Resource Center

Additional CLASS Resources: CLA Advising Manual
Advising Students in Crisis, Section 8.14

Academic Probation, Section 7.1

Academic Suspension, Section 7.2

Cancelling and Adding, Section 5.4

Bracketing, Section 6.3.1