SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE

INFORMATION PAPER

SUBDIVISION:          Counseling and Services For Special Populations

DEPARTMENT(S):     Several Departments Involved (Counseling Center, Women's Center, Veterans'
                                    Affairs, disABILITY Support Services, Student Support Services Project,
                                    Student Development)

PROGRAM TITLE:     ACADEMIC ALERT SYSTEM

PURPOSE:                  To promote and increase academic productivity, student development, and
                                     retention.

DESCRIPTION:          This system is an educational initiative designed to expediently identify students
                                     whose profiles indicate the likelihood of academic difficulties.  The program
                                     enables student personnel professionals to locate these students, to diagnose
                                     many of their educational pitfalls, to provide in a timely fashion necessary
                                     intervention via personalized counseling and related student-support services,
                                     and to follow-up to determine educational outcomes.

                                    This program is designed primarily for first-time in college freshmen who are
                                    found in at least one of the "at risk" categories which we have labeled as
                                    follows:  Phase I (students whose assessment dictated their placement in 9+
                                    semester hours of Developmental Education); Phase II (students on Enforced
                                    Scholastic Withdrawal, but who have been admitted via the Petition for
                                    Readmission); Phase III (students who earned less than a "C" in Orientation
                                    To College); Phase IV (students on Scholastic Probation); and Phase V
                                    (students who are undecided majors).

                                    Students in these “at risk” categories, particularly those placed in 9+ hours
                                    of Developmental Education, benefit from various support services including:
                                    (1) course-load limitation; (2) initial personalized counseling session(s) in
                                    preparation for forthcoming semester; (3) personalized counseling letter
                                    and/or other means of immediate contract subsequent to registration; (4) needs
                                    assessment session within two weeks after registration; (5) various workshops
                                    throughout the semester; (6) career planning and exploration; (7) student
                                    referral network; (8) monitoring; and (9) outcome evaluations.

                                    Effective Fall 1992, a classroom-teaching function was incorporated into Phase I
                                    (students whose assessment dictated their placement in 9+ semester hours of
                                    Developmental Education) of the Academic Alert System.  As part of their
                                    normal workday, all full-time Counselors teach one section of what is now
                                    Student Development 0370 (Personal and Academic Success).  This course is
                                    designed to assist students in obtaining skills necessary to reach educational
                                    objectives and covers such topics as:  campus services, time-management,
                                    decision-making, personal issues, test-taking and study techniques, library use,
                                    interpersonal communications, career analysis, behavioral self-management, and
                                    question-asking skills.

RESULTS:                 During Fall Semester 1993, 797 students enrolled in what is now Student
                                  Development 0370.  Of that number (797), 77% (615) earned productive grades
                                  (A = 275; B = 250; C = 90).  Of the total number (797) of Fall Semester enrollees
                                  in Student Development 1370, 74% (588) were retained as evidence their
                                  enrollment the following semester (Spring Semester 1994).
 
Semester
Enrollment Count
Course
Productive Grade Rate
Completers
Fall 1995
855
SDEV 0370
70.3%
77.4%
Fall 1996
952
SDEV 0370
69.0%
74.0%
Fall 1997
768
SDEV 0370
72.0%
82.3%
Fall 1998
576
SDEV 0370
68.1%
77.3%
Fall 1999
519
SDEV 0370
66.9%
75.1%

                                  Student Development courses (HD 0170 - Orientation to College and HD 0370 -
                                  Personal and Academic Success) are among the top generators of Contact Hours at
                                  San Antonio College.

CONTACT PERSON(S):       Manuel L. Flores, Director of Enrollment Management
                                                Jim Lucchelli, Chairperson of Counseling
                                                Emma L. Mendiola, Instructor
                                                     (Counselor/Coordinator of Student Development)

TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):   733-2751 – MLF
                                                733-2139 - JL
                                                733-2805 - ELM

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Strategies For Success - Student Development End of Project Report

Updated 9/27/01