EWU’s Early Warning System is Keeping Students on Track

Eastern’s Early Warning System, a tool that allows faculty members to share information about their students’ potential academic challenges, is proving to be a vital retention initiative that is helping students succeed.

The Early Warning System (EWS) has since 2020 been connecting students with the support they need to continue their academic journey, says Gina Gendusa, director of student success and degree completion.

Gendusa recently contacted InsideEWU to share her teams’ gratitude for the campus partners who’ve supported the EWS effort, which has resulted in steady year-to-year improvements in student retention. To see the impact of this EWU, visit the Center for Academic Advising & Retention (CAAR) website.

In addition, Gendusa says, her team is seeking to get the word out about recent enhancements that are designed to make EWS even more effective.

“Starting this quarter, we’re leveraging Canvas data—such as login activity and grades—to identify students in need of help earlier than ever before,” Gendusa says. “These upgrades allow us to offer intervention before challenges become barriers.”

Fully maximizing the impact of these improvements requires the campus community’s continued support, says Gendusa. “We kindly encourage faculty to include at least one low-stakes graded assignment—such as a quiz, short reflection, or discussion post—within the first three weeks of the course.”

Providing early and frequent feedback to students is a proven strategy for boosting retention, she explains, and students consistently share how much they value being made of aware of their progress early in the term.

Providing this feedback also helps Gendusa’s team identify students who may be struggling, allowing them to quickly connect the students with the proper resources. “By addressing concerns early, we can intervene with personalized support to help them get back on track.”

Here are a few tips on how to utilize the EWS to support student success:

Submitting Alerts: How You Can Help
When submitting an alert in the EWS, please include as much detail as possible. Helpful comments might include:

• What you’ve noticed about the student’s challenges (e.g., missed assignments, lack of participation).
• Steps you’ve already taken to address the issue (e.g., emails, office hour conversations).
• Any interactions you’ve had with the student.

Faculty members who need a refresher on how to submit an ad-hoc alert are encouraged to take a few moments to watch this video. The video contains information that is invaluable to student support units as Gendusa’s team initiates outreach efforts tailored to each student’s unique situation.

“Your partnership in these efforts profoundly impacts our students’ success. Together, we’re not just helping students stay enrolled—we’re creating a campus culture where every Eagle feels supported, empowered, and equipped to thrive,” says Gendusa, offering her gratitude to faculty and other campus partners. “Thank you for being an essential part of this initiative.”

Gendusa encourages the campus community to reach out with questions or to ask for assistance in implementing these strategies, adding, “Let’s make this winter term one of growth and success for all!”

Feel free to contact the Degree Completion Team at earlywarning@ewu.edu with any questions or concerns about the Early Warning System. General questions can go to degreecompletion@ewu.edu.