ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾

When to use a Comment Card: 

Use a comment card when you need to address a student’s academic performance. For more information on how and when to us Comment Cards, see below.

When to use a CARE Referral Form: 

A CARE Referral Form should be used when you have concerns relating to a student’s mental or physical health. More information on how and when to use the CARE Referral form can be found here.

When to call ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Safety and Security: 

Contact ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Safety and Security when you have concerns about a student’s immediate safety and wellbeing. To reach the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Safety and Security emergency line, dial (207) 725-3500.

When and Why to Use Comment Cards:

Comment Cards should be used to address topics relevant to a student’s academic performance. While you are encouraged to use Comment Cards to celebrate student successes, they are more frequently used to address areas of academic concern. For example, it is good to send a comment card if a student has missed or is requesting to miss a number of classes, when a student is struggling with their work, requesting multiple extensions, or you have noticed changes in their classroom engagement. Comment Cards are intended to support a student’s academic success; they are not meant to be punitive.  

Comment Cards are an invaluable resource because they are distributed to the student’s entire support network, including academic advisors, Student Deans, and coaches. This guarantees, should the case warrant, that additional forms of support can be activate on the student’s behalf. For example, student’s experiencing challenges in one class, may well be experiencing them in others. Without comment cards, it is difficult, if not impossible, for the student’s advisor(s) and Student Dean to act proactively on the student’s behalf. If you are not sure about whether you should write a comment card, call the student’s dean and ask. They are more than happy to talk it through with you.

We note that increased Comment Card usage has corresponded to a decrease in the number of students whose grades put them up for action (probation, suspension, or dismissal.) We appreciate you thinking about how you can use this system to share information regarding students in your classes.

Comment Cards are accessed through Workday. For instructions on how to access, submit, and review comment cards, go here.

How To Write Comment Cards:

• Address your note to the student. 
• Be specific. For example, if you start a sentence with “I want to support your progress in…,” “I’ve noticed that…” or “I am concerned about… [your understanding of this concept, your continued requests for extensions for assignments, your inconsistent attendance, etc.],” this gives the student and their advisor or dean more concrete pieces to address. 
• Refer to previous conversations if relevant. Often, a Comment Card is a reinforcement (and record) of a discussion that has already happened between instructor and student. You may wish to start with “As we spoke about today…” and continue with something like “I want to loop in your advisor and dean so they can offer support and additional resources.” 

If you have any questions about comment cards, please contact Rachel Beane, Associate Dean of Faculty Recruitment and Student Advising at rbeane@bowdoin.edu, or (207) 725-3160.

If you have any difficulty sending a comment card, please contact the IT help line at servicedesk@bowdoin.edu or (207) 725-3030.

Related Resources

See the on Satisfactory Academic Progress.