By Jim Ferchland

The Mid-Term Academic Alert system was introduced to the college on Feb. 10 through a vast e-mail toward students and professors. This system is established to help make students aware if they are not performing well in a course. However, not all professors in the college will be utilizing the new system.

Professor Mark Grossman, a Communications teacher in the Grant Campus in Brentwood specifically informed his students that Intro to Human Communications class is participating in the system on his website. He notified his students about the alert and how it can result to benefit students. “The alert will be entered during Spring Break after the mid-term is graded”, Grossman stated on the web. “It will provide time for students to seek advice about improving their academic performance.”

The vast e-mail sent to professors and students about the new system.

The system was primarily created to benefit students in academic manners. The alert itself can be seen on the college website as students sign into their account and click on the Student Records section. The system was also created in time for students to seek consultation and encouragement about improving their performance before the mid-term withdrawal deadline on Mar. 25.

“I think it is a good idea,” said Cliff Chandler, a student majoring in business. “It’s good to determine that students know how they are performing in their classes. However, I have not received any alert but for those who struggle in classes, they should work more efficiently.”

Students will either see a D+, D, F, R, or U if they specifically received an inadequate grade from one of their professors. The system is also designed to ensure that students are anxious and eager about how they are performing in their classes.

“I am in danger of failing Psychology,” said Philip Rampelli, a Culinary Arts major. I want to withdraw the class but I can’t because the deadline has passed. I did not receive an alert from my professor so I am assuming that he is not using the system.”

However, the grade that is deficient will not appear on the student’s transcript. It is specifically just an alert system based on performance that is up to date. Many people on campus still are not even aware of the new system, even professors have not acknowledged the idea. One of the professors believe that the system is pointless and that professors should constantly help students the best way they can to improve class performance.

“I have not even heard about the system,” said Joseph Dowd, an Adjunct Professor of Journalism. “I think that the professors should be in contact with their students on how they are performing in class. I don’t think there should be a system showing a certain grade on a student’s mid-term report. I don’t like the impersonal grade in the system.”