Academic Early Alerts

An Early Alert is a structured way for faculty to share concerns about a student’s academic engagement, performance, or wellbeing so the appropriate support teams can intervene early and coordinate outreach.

Submit an Early Alert when you observe patterns or early indicators that a student may be at risk, rather than waiting for a single incident to escalate. Common indicators include repeated absences, missed assignments, disengagement, or changes in behavior that emerge during the first several weeks of the term.

FGCU’s First 6 Weeks Timeline outlines key milestones and signals that often appear early in the semester and highlights when outreach is most effective.

First 6 Weeks Timeline

Once submitted, Student Success Advocates review the alert, coordinate referrals to appropriate campus partners, and support the student through outreach and follow-up. Actions and outcomes are documented in Wings Up to ensure continuity of care.

No. Early Alerts are designed to complement, not replace, faculty engagement or academic advising. Faculty should continue to communicate directly with students about course expectations, performance, and progress, and advisors should continue to provide academic planning, registration guidance, and degree support.

Early Alerts add an additional layer of coordination by ensuring concerns are visible beyond the classroom and advising appointment. By submitting an alert, faculty help Student Success Advocates connect students to the appropriate advising, academic support, or campus resources and ensure follow-up occurs—especially when a student may not proactively seek help.

This shared approach strengthens communication across faculty, advisors, and support teams while keeping students at the center of the process.

Students are contacted in a supportive manner focused on available resources and next steps. The intent is to provide help, not to assign blame or escalate discipline.

No. Early Alerts do not affect grades, academic standing, or transcripts. They are solely a support and coordination tool.

Submitting an Early Alert is designed to be quick and efficient. Most alerts can be completed in just a few minutes within Wings Up.

If new information or additional context becomes available, faculty should refrain from submitting a duplicate Early Alert for the same concern. Instead, contact a Student Success Advocate to share updates or clarify ongoing issues.

Student Success Advocates serve as the central point of coordination and can document new information, adjust outreach, and ensure support remains responsive without creating duplicate alerts.

email an Advocate

Support and training are available if you have questions or want a refresher on using Wings Up.

Learn More

An Early Alert is a structured way for faculty to share concerns about a student’s academic engagement, performance, or wellbeing so the appropriate support teams can intervene early and coordinate outreach.

An alert may be submitted if a faculty or staff member observes patterns such as missed classes, academic difficulty, disengagement, or other concerns that could impact your student’s success. The goal is early outreach and support, not discipline.

No. Early Alerts are non-punitive and do not indicate disciplinary action. They reflect the university’s commitment to noticing concerns early and offering help.

Outreach related to an Early Alert is directed to the student. FGCU follows federal privacy regulations, including FERPA, which limit the information that can be shared without a student’s consent.

 Learn More About FERPA

A Student Success Advocate or appropriate campus partner may reach out to your student to check in, discuss available support, and help identify next steps. Their role is supportive and student-centered.

You can support your student by:

• Encouraging them to respond to outreach

• Helping them talk through available resources

• Suggesting they connect with a Student Success Advocate

• Reinforcing that seeking support is a positive step

No. Early Alerts do not appear on transcripts and do not impact grades or academic standing.

If new information or additional context becomes available, faculty should refrain from submitting a duplicate Early Alert for the same concern. Instead, contact a Student Success Advocate to share updates or clarify ongoing issues.

Student Success Advocates serve as the central point of coordination and can document new information, adjust outreach, and ensure support remains responsive without creating duplicate alerts.

email an Advocate

Support and training are available if you have questions or want a refresher on using Wings Up.

Learn More