Faculty Guide: How to Alert a Student's Advisor in Dropout Detective

Introduction

This guide outlines when and how to alert a student’s advisor in Dropout Detective, along with what happens after an alert is submitted. It also provides guidance to ensure alerts are used effectively to support student success.

Contents

When Faculty Should Submit an Alert

How to Submit an Alert to a Student's Advisor in Dropout Detective

Acknowledging (Closing) an Alert in Dropout Detective

Guidance on Alerts in Dropout Detective

Other Dropout Detective Resources

When Faculty Should Submit an Alert

In Dropout Detective, you now have the ability to alert a student's advisor. There are three reasons you can alert an advisor. 

Advisor Alert 1: Student Drop/Withdrawal Discussion is needed

Select this alert when:

• A student directly communicates intent to drop or withdraw from a course
• A student expresses uncertainty about remaining enrolled due to workload, performance, or personal circumstances
• You observe that the student is not performing well academically in your course (e.g., low or missing exam scores, multiple incomplete or missing major assessments, declining performance trends) and believe the student would benefit from a withdrawal discussion with an advisor before the course progresses to a potential W/F (Withdraw/Fail)

Purpose: Enables advisors to discuss course options, institutional deadlines, and potential impacts on progress.

Advisor Alert 2: Academic Struggle/Help Planning Future Terms

Select this alert when:

• A student is struggling academically and expresses concern about their ability to be successful in upcoming terms.
• A student indicates they may not pass the current course and asks questions about what their academic path could or should look like next
• The faculty member believes the student would benefit from working with an advisor to plan for a future term, such as:
  • Adjusting to a lighter course load/ Resequencing courses

Purpose: Allows advisors to partner with the student on proactive academic planning for future terms, helping them create a manageable and informed path forward.

Advisor Alert 3: Student Career/Program Discussion

Select this alert when:

• A student indicates uncertainty about their major or program choice
• A student expresses mismatch between course content and career goals
• The student asks about switching programs, pathways, or career direction

Purpose: Connects the student with advisors who can explore program fit, career paths, and implications of a program change.

How to Submit an Alert to a Student's Advisor in Dropout Detective

To ensure effective advisor intervention, faculty must complete all required fields when submitting an alert.

1.  Navigate to Dropout Detective from inside your Canvas Course (it's under Third-Party Tools). 
2. Click on the student whose advisor you'd like to alert and open up the individual student view. 
3. Click the Notes tab. 
   
4. Check the box next to Activate Alert.
   
5. Click Select Tags (1) and select the appropriate Alert Advisor tags (2). 
   
6. Add Notes. Be detailed, and make sure to include: 
   • Specific concerns: Key academic, attendance, or student-reported challenges contributing to the concern.
   • Steps already taken: Outreach and/or support provided, including dates of last contact when applicable. If the student has not responded to your outreach efforts, please include this information in your notes.
     
7. Click Submit Note.
   

Example of an alert comment:

Reason: Struggling academically needs future planning

Concern: Student has missed two major assessments and reports on difficulty balancing coursework with work commitments.

Steps taken: Met with the student on March 22 to review performance and discuss support options; follow-up email sent on March 25.

Acknowledging (Closing) an Alert in Dropout Detective

What happens after faculty alert a student's advisor? 

Advisors will be notified of the alerts and will reach out to the student within 1-2 business days. 

If the advisor makes meaningful contact with the student: The advisor will put notes in the alert, and acknowledge it to close it. You'll no longer see the alert icon next to the student's name in your course's Dropout Detective Dashboard, but you can click on the student at any point and pull up the notes to see what steps were taken. In this scenario, you'll see the note, plus a button that says Alert Acknowledgement. 

If the advisor cannot reach the student, the advisor will leave the alert opened until meaningful contact is made. The advisor will add a note detailing what outreach was made to keep you in the loop.

As the faculty member, if you notice the student has made progress and the alert is no longer necessary, you can acknowledge it to close it. To acknowledge/close, check the acknowledge box (1), write a detailed note (2) and select Submit Note (3). 

After final grades post, if any alerts are still opened, they will be cleared out by the admin team. 

Guidance on Alerts in Dropout Detective

• Reach out to the student in a few different ways before activating an alert. The alert is not your first step. 
• Use detailed notes and an advisor alert tag with the alert. If you do not, the advisor will add a note in Dropout Detective asking for this information. 

Other Dropout Detective Resources

Coming soon!

Have Questions? Contact the Academic Technology Support Team 
 
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