What are the best ways to support students on academic probation?

As a former AP advisor, I have to stress the importance of language. "Probation" is criminalizing language, & should be reframed. Less stigmatizing alternatives might include "academic warning" or placed on "academic support." Further, when identifying the root causes, it's important to adopt a systems lens, as opposed to a deficit lens. If we want to support student agency, we have to recognize their strengths to support them in addressing their growth edges. But, academic success is not just the responsibility of students. We need to take a critical look at institutional environments, barriers, & inaccessibility as factors that can inhibit academic success by addressing the hidden curriculum, convoluted processes, & fostering mentorship.

One of the terrible things that happen with students that are struggling academically is they are made to feel, by some administrators and professors, that there is something wrong with them. They are made to feel like they are less worthy or valuable than others that aren't struggling academically. I was head of enrollments in an institution which treated academically weak students as almost criminals, and that was incredibly disheartening for the students - and those students mostly did not improve under those conditions. To be able to identify the root causes, an institution need to have the proper framework on how to properly handle that type of situation, as well as what the baseline metrics are. The end goal: support the student.

These academic resources should be varied and adapted, engaging as well as multi-sensorial. Multiple intelligences should be taken into account so as to create or provide resources that fit andexcite the student.

Active listening is a must if we want to create bonds of trust and truly encourage students beyond results. Hopefully, true exchanges will foster self-confidence and openness, which in turn will provide valuable insight.

I think part of the challenge with academic probation is that it can be an isolating event, and I know several schools have programs dedicated to assisting students on academic probation. These programs include workshops and events with students who were on academic probation, but returned to good academic standing. I have found these events to be extremely engaging for students because it gives them opportunities to hear stories that mirror their own experiences. It helps them find a sense of belonging within the community, but also support and in some cases, mentors to ask for guidance and help.

Academic probation carries a heavy stigma for many students. To be placed on academic probation can elicit feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, anger, and depression. It is essential to support students' emotion because academic probation is a very delicate situation. Support can come in variety of different forms. In my experience, listening to student's stories and validating their emotions and experiences can positively impact students. Validation can open the door for students to move beyond negative thoughts and feelings and to begin discussing how students would like to address their situation.

In my experience in higher education, students respond well to being treated as adults who need to take responsibility for their learning, their success, their actions. Looking a student in the eye and talking with them frankly about what has happened and what they are going to do sends a powerful signal. It is a very clear message that someone is taking them seriously, that someone is investing time and thought into helping them face their current situation and navigate the path forward. Make sure to talk about all the resources available to the student, and make it clear that it won’t matter unless they take advantage of them. And showing a genuine desire to help and support them will come through; students can tell if you care.

Academic probation has a long history in higher education, and I think it is important for probation policy to be critically examined and questioned. This is a policy that impacts at least 25% of undergraduate students, yet, it is a policy that has undergone very few revisions since it was originally implemented in the early 1900s. The challenge is that a policy, like academic probation, serves specific institutional functions, but I think higher education and the advising community is at a place where we can have greater discussions about this policy and how to modernize it to better serve our students.