In the Fall of 2001, the UM Academic Support Center (ASC) launched the Freshman Attendance-Based Initiative program (FABI).   The ASC is responsible for advising freshman and sophomore Liberal Arts undecided majors and Pre-Health Professions track students. The ASC is also home to FABI and other outstanding programs such as: STARS, EDLD courses, and E-Advisor.

FABI targets freshman attendance in lower division courses. Using their FABI web-based reporting tool through myOleMiss, instructors report freshman who have been absent three times or more. The Academic Support Center downloads this information weekly and notifies each student’s Residence Hall Director (RHD) of each student’s absences. No specific information (class, instructor name, etc.) is given to the RHD other than the name of the student and the fact that one or more of their instructors is concerned about attendance.

FABI relies on the cooperation of many individuals throughout the semester: the cooperation of the faculty to report absences; the residence hall staff and academic advisors to contact students; and, the Dean of Students office and Greek Life who are additional contacts for the students involved in those programs.

The following is the communication model that is used weekly after FABI data is downloaded from the system on Monday morning.  This model was created in order to maximize the awareness across campus of a student’s attendance. The model begins with a student’s third absence.

Third Absence:

• Send RHD email – asking RA to speak to student and deliver letter
• Deliver FABI letters to Student Housing – by Tuesday at noon
• Send 1^st student email
• Send Faculty a confirmation thank you email for participating in FABI

Fourth Absence:

• Send RHD email – asking RA to speak to student and deliver letter
• Deliver FABI letters to Student Housing – by Tuesday at noon
• Send 2^nd student email & phone student
• Email to student’s academic advisor, student’s dean, and facebook
• Email to Greek Life (if applicable) to contact Greek organization president
• Send Faculty a confirmation thank you email for participating in FABI

Fifth Absence

• Send RHD email – asking RHD to personally speak to student and inform RA
• Deliver FABI letters to Student Housing – by Tuesday at noon
• Phone student to set up meeting with FABI coordinator
• Email to student’s academic advisor, student’s dean, and facebook
• Email to Greek Life (if applicable) to contact Greek organization president
• facebook, if available
• Send Faculty a confirmation thank you email for participating in FABI

Sixth Absence and Above

• Send RHD email – asking RHD to personally speak to student and inform RA
• Deliver FABI letters to Student Housing – by Tuesday at noon
• Phone student to set up meeting with FABI coordinator; if contact is not made
• FABI coordinator will seek student out at residence hall
• Send letter to student’s campus and home addresses
• Email to student’s academic advisor, student’s dean, and facebook
• Email to Greek Life (if applicable) to contact Greek organization president
• Email to Dean of Students office
• Send Faculty a confirmation thank you email for participating in FABI

Spring 2010 Data:
Total number of instructors reporting – 129
Total number of students reported (one or more courses) – 795
Total number of contacts made by FABI (through all communication) – 7,765
Total number of courses reported (unique sections counted once each) – 233

Fall 2009 Data:
Total number of instructors reporting – 138
Total number of students reported (one or more courses) – 1,137
Total number of contacts made by FABI (through all communication) – 9,102
Total number of courses reported (unique sections counted once each) – 249

Jennifer Bennett, FABI Coordinator, states:  “FABI has been a great tool to reach out to those who need help.  Those who want help find an outlet in which there are people who deeply care about the success of the students on this campus. As coordinator of FABI for the last five semesters, I’ve found that reaching out to students provides that much needed connection to the University. This connection between the student and the university can make the difference between a student leaving or being retained.”

For more information on FABI, please contact Jennifer Bennett, FABI Coordinator; 350 Martindale, (662) 915 – 5970, stargaze@olemiss.edu.