Flag Tier Guide and Kudos & Referrals Overview

What Happens When a Flag Is Raised and What to Do Next

Early Alert flags are organized into three tiers based on the level of concern and the urgency of outreach.

Tier Flags Outreach Handled By Faculty Expectations Resolution/Clearance Policy

 

Tier 1

Informational

Attendance Concern

Missing Assignment

Participation Concern

Not required, but used to inform conversations with the student

(optional/unit-based)

 

Some academic units or instructors

 

Instructors may add comments and resolve flags as appropriate.

Resolved by instructor or staff member after outreach

Cleared by MU Connect team 2 weeks after raise date

Tier 2

Student at Risk

Low Exam Score

Poor Class Performance

Yes, within 7 days

Athletics, CASE, TRiO, and Learning Center

Instructors may add comments and resolve flags as appropriate.

Resolved by instructor or staff member after outreach

Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester

 

Tier 3

Urgent Concern

In Danger of Failing

Consider Withdrawal (select courses)

Student Flagged 6 times (system-raised flag)

 

Yes, as soon as possible, within 3-4 business days

 

Academic Advisors

 

Instructors may add comments and resolve flags as appropriate.

Resolved by instructor or staff member after outreach

Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester

What Happens After an Instructor Raises a Flag?

  • The student is sent an email message with the instructor comments within a larger email. You can view the full template and additional comment suggestions here.
  • The instructor receives a confirmation email when the flag is raised.
  • Support staff/advisors see the flag and comments and use them to guide outreach.
  • Instructors may resolve a flag at any time if the concern is addressed.

Instructors: What Should You Do?

  • Leave clear, supportive comments, especially for Tiers 2 & 3.
  • Use growth-mindset language to encourage action.
  • Track flag history in the “Tracking” tab in MU Connect.
  • You may resolve flags once the issue is addressed.

Tips for Staff Conducting Outreach

  • Review instructor comments and all flags raised across courses before contacting the student.
  • Be timely with outreach to maximize student recovery time.
  • Document all outreach by using the +Comment function in MU Connect.
  • Check the "Close the loop" box when resolving the flag to send a message to the instructor who raised the flag.
  • For an overview and tips on the outreach process, check out the Flag Outreach Quick Reference Guide.

Kudos and Referrals Overview

Kudos and referrals are used to recognize hard work or recommend other resources to a student in a course.

Kudos are not used to conduct any outreach to students, but may be used in advising conversations. These are cleared on the Friday after grades are posted each semester.

Referrals

Item Type Item Name When to Raise Outreach Resolution/Clearance Policy
Kudos Keep up the Good Work To recognize solid academic performance in a course No outreach, but may be used in advising conversations. Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester
Kudos Outstanding Academic Performance To highlight exceptional work or academic achievement in a course No outreach, but may be used in advising conversations. Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester
Kudos Showing Improvement To recognize student efforts to bounce back, make gains, or improve their academic performance in a course No outreach, but may be used in advising conversations. Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester
Referral Tutoring Center Referral Bring attention to and recommend the student use the tutoring resources in the Learning Center or home academic unit

Outreach conducted by staff in the Learning Center

May be used in advising conversations

Resolved by instructor or staff member after outreach

Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester
Referral Writing Center Referral Bring attention to and recommend the student use the Writing Center resources in the Student Success Center

Outreach conducted by staff in the Writing Center

May be used in advising conversations

Resolved by instructor or staff member after outreach

Cleared by MU Connect team on the Friday after grades are posted each semester
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