Policy Statement
All faculty and staff in the School of Pharmacy (SoP) are committed to student success, and therefore have a strong desire for all students to perform well academically. When student performance indicates academic deficiencies, the SoP is committed to intervening in a timely and appropriate manner.
The Early Warning and Intervention Policy for PharmD Students (EWI) is designed to identify and address academic deficiencies while a course is in progress. When students perform unsatisfactorily on key course assessments (exams, projects, etc.) early in the semester, the course coordinator and advisor communicate with the student to discuss and encourage strategies for success. The purpose of these communications is to address the student’s learning strategies, understanding of the material, and identify opportunities for timely improvement to promote their success in the overall course.
This policy is intended to encourage communication about student progress among the student, faculty, and advisors. It is intended to provide a reliable and consistent method of addressing specific knowledge and skill deficits while the course is in progress. Addressing unsatisfactory performance early in the course is intended to promote students’ success in the overall course and PharmD curriculum.
The Early Warning and Intervention Policy is intended to comply with Standard 17.2 of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education’s (ACPE) Standards 2016 on student progression and unsatisfactory performance in the PharmD curriculum.
Restrictions
The Early Warning and Intervention Policy applies to all required didactic PharmD courses, not including elective courses.
This policy only applies to students who are at risk of earning a D or F in the course and is not intended for improving performance that is already considered satisfactory.
Students may initiate the early warning and intervention process by scheduling a meeting with their advisor. Ideally, it is recommended that students initiating the process should be in contact with their advisor no later than the midpoint of the course.
If a student in the BS in Pharmacology and Toxicology program is enrolled in a course required of PharmD students, the student is eligible for early warning and intervention.
A student may be referred to the Early Warning and Intervention processes more than once in a given semester if warranted. The policy intention is to help students be successful by providing as-needed supports and strategies.
Procedures
- After each major assessment milestone (e.g., exams, projects), the course coordinator shall review student performance.
- The course coordinator shall send the list of students who earn a grade of “D” or “F” on the milestone assessment identified to the corresponding class advisor. The class advisor can also request a list of at-risk students from the course coordinator.
- The advisor shall arrange a meeting with each student to discuss progress, identify learning needs, and discuss strategies for success.
- The student should meet with the course coordinator (preferably before the next assessment) to review content and develop strategies for success.
- The course coordinator and advisor will monitor the student’s course performance for improvement.
- If the student’s performance does not improve, the advisor shall schedule a meeting with the student and course coordinator to discuss challenges the student may be facing to implement the strategies intended for improvement.
Failure of the student to comply with the stipulations and expectations of the intervention strategies implemented, including all meetings with the advisor and/or the course coordinator, may abrogate the opportunity for later remediation for the course.
Responsibility Checklists
Student
- Maintain regular attendance and participation
- Follow-through on EWI meetings with course coordinator and advisor
- Articulate success strategies to implement with assistance from advisor and course coordinator
- Maintain communication with advisor about course performance
Advisor
- Contact students (referred by the course coordinator) whose performance warrants intervention and schedule a meeting. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss factors affecting the student’s performance, including identifying the need for:
- Assistance with time management, study strategies, stress management, and other personal issues
- Adjustments to work hours, professional commitments, and other commitments
- Content-related support such as suggesting meetings with faculty and TAs, study groups, or tutors
- Assist the student with development of strategies for success
- Track students and meetings in Early Warning and Intervention spreadsheet
- Share the trends in early warning and interventions with the Student Promotion and Academic Review Committee (SPARC)
Course Coordinator
- Include the Early Warning and Intervention Policy and Remediation Policy in the course syllabus
- Identify which assessment activities and situations may trigger the early warning and intervention process
- After major assessments, identify students who warrant intervention and contact them via email to request a meeting
- Copy the class advisor on communication to students who warrant intervention
- Meet with identified students to review content and discuss plans for success
Assistant Dean of Assessment and Academic Planning
- Maintain Outcome Tracker records to provide information on student’s previous performance when requested
- Monitor the progression of students who were contacted as part of the early warning and intervention process to identify trends
- Communicate the progression trends to the Assessment Committee and Curriculum Committee
Assessment, Curriculum, Student Promotion and Academic Review Committees
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the Early Warning and Intervention Policy
Approved by Assessment Committee May 30, 2018
Revised and Approved May 17, 2022