Freshmen, be prepared, progress reports are on the way.

The progress reports are useful because many freshmen are intimidated by instructors, said Registrar Tim Stickel. The transition into college is stressful, he said, and students often do not talk to their professors about their grades, leaving them unaware of their status and more likely to fail a class. The grade reports are a way for students to see their academic standing while there is still enough time in the semester to do something about it.

In fall 2003, 17 percent of students who received progress reports dropped their classes compared to 6 percent who did not receive grade reports.

In order to check grades, students sign in at UAonline, go to student services, click on student records, choose midterm grades, and then select spring 2005 to view grades. There are about 900 freshmen currently attending UAF and they will be the only ones to receive the grade reports, which will be popping up on UAonline between Feb. 25 and March 1. Other students can speak to their professors if they are concerned with their grades.

Contrary to a popular rumor parents do not receive notification, students are the only ones with access to their grades. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), ensures that "No personally identifiable information is disclosed to agencies outside UAF without the written permission of the student."

But academic advisor Sharon Tavernier wants to remind students that the midterm report is not a final grade.

"Students should not quit attending class," said Tavernier. "The reports go out early enough that students have enough time to bring up their grades."

Tavernier advises students who have a low grade to take a few steps before withdrawing.

First, they should talk to the instructor and see if salvaging the grades is an option. Sometimes there is not enough course work to have an accurate report of how a student is doing, so speaking to the instructor will clarify how the grade was calculated. This is a common problem, which is why the Faculty senate voted that next year's course syllabuses show exactly how the instructor calculates the progress report.

The next step is to take advantage of the resources available. Every freshmen EDGE (Education, Development, Growth, Experience) floor has a tutor that is available to help students with their homework. There are math, chemistry, and statistics labs to help students experiencing any difficulty. ASUAF also offers free and reduced fee tutoring services to students who qualify.

If there is no other way the student can bring the grade up, they should withdraw from the class by March 21. Withdrawals show up on the academic transcript, but they are better than an F. There may be some financial aid repercussions from withdrawing, so students should check with the financial aid office before withdrawing.

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