Starfish Flags and Tracking Items
It is important that a student's success network perform outreach when a flag is raised in order to provide support and resources to help the student succeed at Valpo.
Below are charts of the various tracking items, describing when to use each, and recommendations on how to respond.
Flags (Faculty/Staff Raised)
| Tracking Item | Description | Comments required for context? | When is it available to raise? | Student Support Network: How to respond? |
| Academic Performance Alert | Instructors will raise this flag to indicate: a student is not participating, not performing well on homework, has missing or late assignments, etc. | Yes | • Manually • Progress Surveys | Reach out to the student to meet with you so you can discuss. Based on your conversation, you can determine the best resource or support for the student. Use Starfish Referrals to alert a campus resource that you've recommended your student to their office. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| Attendance Concern | This flag is raised by the instructor when the student has only attended class a few times or does not regularly attend. | No | • Manually • Attendance Surveys • Progress Surveys | Reach out to the student to meet with you so you can discuss. Learn if there are any factors causing the student to miss class. Offer support with time management tips. Act as a liaison in connecting the student with their instructor to review a plan for attending and catching up on missed work. If needed, you can determine the best resource or support for the student. Use Starfish Referrals to alert a campus resource that you've recommended your student to their office. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| General Concern | Use this flag to express any general academic concerns you have about a student that are not otherwise covered by a Starfish flag. Comments are required in order to provide context so the student can be supported. | Yes | • Manually | Reach out to the student to meet with you so you can learn more about the situation. There are many offices and resources on campus that can help support our students. Make sure to connect them as needed. Use Starfish Referrals to alert a campus resource that you've recommended your student to their office. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| In Danger of Failing | Raise this when a student is in danger of failing a course. | Yes | • Manually • Progress Surveys | Reach out to the student and strongly encourage them to meet with their instructor to see if they can still complete the course with a passing grade. If so, help facilitate a plan to get them back on track, if needed. If the student is in a situation where they are not able to complete the course with a passing grade, walk them through their options (withdraw if within window to do so, etc.). Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| Low Quiz/Exam Scores | Raise this when a student receives a poor grade on a quiz or test. | Yes | • Manually • Progress Surveys | Reach out to the student to meet with you so you can discuss. Recommend they meet with their instructor to review the quiz/exam and ask for tips on how to better prepare for future quizzes/exams. If needed, use Starfish Referrals to alert a campus resource that you've recommended your student to their office. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| Missing Textbook/Course Materials | Use this flag if a student is missing their textbook and/or other required course materials. | Yes | • Manually • Attendance Surveys • Progress Surveys | When this flag is raised, students receive an email letting them know textbooks and course materials that are available through our University bookstore can be charged to their student account and paid throughout the semester rather than all at once at the time of purchase. Follow up with your student to make sure they are able to make the purchase through the University bookstore. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| Multiple Flags | This automated system flag is used to notify advisors if a student has accumulated 3+ flags. This can be used to help prioritize caseload management | N/A | • System generated | Reach out to the student to discuss the situation and determine what is feasible for them to successfully complete the semester. Utilize campus resources and help the student reach out to faculty to set up a plan to remedy the situation. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| No Show | Use this flag to indicate that a student has never attended your class. | No | • Manually • Attendance Surveys | Reach out to the student to learn about their plans for the course. In some cases, students think they dropped a course, but did not. You may consider helping them complete a CAPS petition for registration change after the deadline if the situation is appropriate. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| Non-Returning or Transferring: Early Alert | Use this flag as an early alert to a student's success network that a student is considering not returning to Valpo or transferring to a different institution. | Yes | • Manually | Reach out to the student to meet with you so you can discuss. Based on your conversation, you can determine whether or not we have the resources or support for the student that can help them work through and resolve any issue that may be causing them to consider not returning to Valpo. Use Starfish Referrals to alert a campus resource that you've recommended your student to their office. Once you have addressed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
Flags (Student Raised)
| Tracking Item | Description | Comments required for context? | Notes | Student Support Network: How to respond? |
| I Need Help In A Course | Students select this option when they need assistance in a course. Their instructor will be notified. | Yes | Students can use the "Raise Your Hand" feature at any time and select one of these options. | Instructor: Reach out to the student to let them know how they can set up a time to meet with you. Once you have met or discussed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
| I Need Help | Students select this option when they know they need help but are not sure where to start. Their advisor will be notified. | Yes | Advisor: Reach out to the student to learn in what area(s) they need help so you can best support them and /or refer them to the right resource to help them. Once you have met or discussed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. | |
| I Need Spiritual Direction | Students select this option as a way to to connect with our chapel on campus. Campus Pastors are notified. | Yes | Pastors: Reach out to the student to let them know how they can set up a time to meet with you. Once you have met or discussed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. | |
| I Need Help Paying For College | Students select this option when they need assistance with financial aid. Their advisor and the Financial Aid office will be notified. | Yes | Financial Aid: Reach out to the student to let them know how they can set up a time to meet with you. Once you have met or discussed, document notes in Starfish and close the loop by clearing the flag. |
Kudos
| Tracking Item | Description | Comments required for context? | When is it available to raise? | Student Support Network: How to respond? |
| Meeting Expectations | Use when a student is meeting expectations, but may have room for improvement. This kudos will primarily be used for progress surveys. | No | • Manually • Progress Surveys | Acknowledge their good work! (Optional) |
| Nice Job! | Use for students who have done well in or out of the classroom. | No | • Manually • Progress Surveys | |
| Showing Improvement! | Use to acknowledge when a student has shown improvement. | No | • Manually • Progress Surveys | |
| Thank You! | Use to thank a student for their work, participation, etc. | No | • Manually • Progress Surveys | |
| You Are off to a Good Start! | Use to acknowledge a student has had a good start to the semester. | No | • Attendance Surveys |
Referrals
| Tracking Item | Description | Comments required for context? | Student Support Network: How to respond? |
| Academic Success Center | Use this to refer a student to the Academic Success Center. | Yes | Advisor and Support Network: If you're meeting with a student and see an active referral, help connect them with that office for support. Referred Resource Office: Reach out to the referred students to let them know next steps in scheduling a time to meet and/or use the services offered. Remember to clear the referral once you have connected with the student and have a plan for them to utilize the service. |
| Access and Accommodations | Use this to refer a student to who may need assistance through Access and Accommodations Resource Center (AARC). | Yes | |
| Career Services | Use this to refer a student to the Center for Career and Professional Development office. This referral is for students who would benefit from learning about careers, resume-building, interviewing skills, assistance with Handshake, etc. | No | |
| Financial Aid | Use this to refer a student who has questions or concerns pertaining to their financial aid or paying for college | No | |
| Hesse Learning Resource Center | Use this to refer a student who would benefit from walk-in peer tutoring in math, physics, and engineering courses. | No | |
| Language Resource Center | Use this to refer a student who needs support or resources for language study. | No | |
| Library Research Referral | Use this to refer a student to meet with a librarian. -Librarians can help students search for information and access the type of information needed for assignments. | Yes | |
| Office of Multicultural Programs | Use this to refer an underrepresented student who would benefit from mentoring and support offer by the staff of the Office of Multicultural Programs. (Underrepresented by race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+, first generation.) | No | |
| Study Abroad | Use this to refer a student to the Study Abroad office when they indicate an interest in studying abroad. | No | |
| TAO/Counseling Services Referral | Use this to refer a student who would benefit from additional assistance with stress, anxiety, depression, or other issues related to mental and emotional health. | No | |
| Writing Center | Use this to refer a student who may need assistance with writing skills. | No |
To-Do Items
| Tracking Item | Description | Comments required for context? | Who can assign the to-do? | Student Support Network: How to respond? |
| 21st Century: Check Progress | Check your progress and complete steps to remain in compliance. | No | Financial Aid Counselors | Advisors and Support Network: If you're meeting with a student and see this is an active to-do, remind the student to complete it and/or connect them with Financial Aid if they have questions. |
| Financial Aid: File your FAFSA | Used to remind students to complete their FAFSA. | No | Financial Aid Counselors | |
| Meet with Financial Aid: Assistance with Account Balance | Intended for use by the Office of Financial Aid only. Assign this task each fall and spring semester when a student has a Student Account hold (SAP) after the final payment plan date. This will alert students of Financial Aid as a resource in helping them determine available options for assistance in paying down their balance. | No | Financial Aid Counselors | |
| Complete Student Intake Form | Assigned to students as a reminder for them to complete the Student Intake Form within their Starfish profile. | No | Primary Advisor | Advisors and Support Network: If you see the student has not completed the Student Intake Form, explain how doing so will help their success network best support them. Ask them to complete it as soon as possible. No questions are required for them to answer and should only take a few minutes to complete. |
| Meet with Asst Dean Adrian Lee | Assigned to students who need to speak with an Assistant Dean in Arts & Sciences. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | Advisors and Support Network: If you're meeting with a student and see this is an active to-do, remind the student to complete it and/or connect them with Financial Aid if they have questions. Asst Dean: Reach out to the student with information on how to schedule an appointment to meet with you. |
| Meet with Asst Dean Anna Stewart | Advisors and instructors may need to assign students a meeting to-do with Assistant Deans for academic or personal issues students may be facing. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | |
| Meet with Asst Dean Elizabeth Douglas | Assigned to students who need to speak with an Assistant Dean in Arts & Sciences. Advisors and instructors may need to assign students a meeting to-do with Assistant Deans for academic or personal issues students may be facing. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | |
| Meet with Asst Dean Laura Sanders | Advisors and instructors may need to assign students a meeting to-do with Assistant Deans for academic or personal issues students may be facing. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | |
| Meet with Asst Dean Deb Singer | Advisors and instructors may need to assign students a meeting to-do with Assistant Deans for academic or personal issues students may be facing. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | |
| Meet with Your Advisor | Assign to a student who needs to meet with their advisor. | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | Advisor: Reach out to the student with information on how to schedule an appointment to meet with you. |
| Meet with Instructor | Assign to a student who needs to meet with one of their instructors. (Course context required). | Yes | Multiple student-centered roles | Instructor: Reach out to the student with information on how to schedule an appointment to meet with you. |