• Attempting to accomplish our mission of increasing retention and delivering a quality service to our customers required additional student support on all levels, so we had to search out solutions to aid us in accomplishing this mission.

• GradesFirst software is an online real-time early alert warning system with the intended purpose of increasing student retention.

• Increasing student retention can be accomplished by several ways in the use of GradesFirst software.1. Increased 1st year student support through the following:

• a. Utilizing the comprehensive student support system which combines Advising, Tutoring, and Early Alert Management that will keep support staff connected to the students.( Intrusive Advising)

• b. Early alert warnings can be set for grades, classroom attendance and any other student advisory needs identifying them as at risk students and notifying the proper support professionals.

2. Increasing student engagement on all levels through personalized communications such as email, texting and social medias.

Services:• Tools to intervene with University support services that include text,

email, advising management, and tutoring management Online access to advisor/tutoring appointments Integrated Calendar notifications and reminders (to students and

faculty) The process and system to identify students who need additional

assistance early in the term, prior to an academic crisis.

Progress reports Midterm grade reports

Intervention and student engagement required to make the greatest impact on student academic recovery.

GradesFirst on TSU’s Campus• TSU Learning Center

– Study hall check-in & check-out– Mentoring / Tutoring appointment check-in– Events & scheduled meetings check-in– All student communications email & text– Report generation

• Fairchild Building– Tutor scheduling & Student check-in for tutoring

• JHJ Business Building– Advisory appointment scheduling– Early Alert management

• Identifying at risk students• Researching & Report generation• Intrusive advising

• Athletics (HP&E Computer Lab & Recreation Center Study Hall)

– Progress reports– Intrusive advising– Early alert – Computer use check-in – Study hall check-in

Statistics for TSU UAV Program• UAV has a current success rate of approximately 80%

of student pass rate, with 130 students (out of 160 students) performing at a 2.0-4.0 GPA level or higher.

Current GPA Analysis: 2 Students 4.0 GPA130 Students 2.0-3.0 GPA 28 Students 0.2-1.9 GPA

(69 students of the 130 students are 2.49-4.0 GPA)

Previous Semester Progress

(Graph above) Fall 2013 midterm report indicated 98 students were flagged as at risk due the reported grades lower than a C-. At the close of the semester, 80 of those students received GPA’s of 2.0 or higher, with 67 students performing at a 3.0 or higher GPA level.