In higher education, academic probation is used to classify students with grade point averages (GPAs) below a certain threshold (e.g., 2.0). Probationary status serves to notify students of worrisome academic performance and encourages future improvement. However, its effectiveness remains unclear, particularly for first-year students at risk of attrition. This study evaluates a new suspension alert system versus academic probation for first-year students. Students with GPAs below 1.5 receive a suspension alert, while those with GPAs between 1.5 and 2.0 are placed on probation. Using a regression discontinuity design, we compare students near the 1.5 cutoff to analyze subsequent term GPAs between groups. Results indicate that students who received the suspension alert had higher GPAs than probation students. We also found that a disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic/Latino students were placed on suspension alert compared to academic probation. These findings offer valuable insights into the efficacy of the new suspension alert initiative.
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