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What is the Academic Early Alert Process?
The Academic Early Alert process is how we connect students to the support they need before a small bump turns into a roadblock. Here's the big-picture flow:
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Flag/Kudo Raised - submitted through Progress Surveys, My Students, or Zoom In tabs. For things like attendance issues, missing assignments, low exam scores, or strong academic performance.
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Messages to students - each flag and kudo sends an email message to the student; the message includes your comments and a larger email template to provide additional context.
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Advisors & Support Staff Review - they see the alerts across all courses and follow up with students as needed and appropriate based on the tier guidelines.
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Flags resolved - flags are resolved by advisors and support staff after attempted outreach, by the system if student drops or withdraws, or by the MU Connect support team. Instructors are also able to resolve flags in MU Connect to signal that additional outreach is not needed. Resolved flags are still visible in MU Connect. Review the Flag Tier Guide and Kudos & Referrals Overview.
You're not expected to solve every issue — your role is to help spot the signals early so the support network can step in.
What is a Progress Survey?
- A short, time-bound survey for instructors to provide feedback on students.
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Used to flag concerns (attendance, low grades, etc.) or give kudos (good work, improvement).
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One way to provide feedback to students through the academic early alert system to connect students with support.
Key Progress Survey Dates
Who Receives a Progress Survey?
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Instructors teaching full semester, 8WK1, 8WK2 undergraduate courses (excluding CLAW, CMED, CREG, and CVTMD)
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Course components including Discussion, Field Study, Lab, Private Lessons, Lecture/Standard, and Studio
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You’ll be notified by email if you’re included. You can also check with your department chair, Academic Dean, or by emailing muconnectsupport@missouri.edu.
Instructor Tips for Completing the Survey and Raising Alerts
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Start early: You can save your progress and finish later.
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Be specific: “Missed first two lab reports” is way more helpful for effective follow-up than “Falling behind.”
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Use flags and kudos: Recognizing effort matters!
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Prioritize: Focus on students who need extra support.
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Don’t stress about perfection: Any info is better than no info.
FAQs
Q: What happens after I submit feedback?
A: Advisors and support staff review it and reach out to students. They’ll handle the outreach, but you’re welcome to follow up.
Q: Do students see my comments?
A: Yes, as part of a larger email.
Q: What if I miss the survey window?
A: You can still raise alerts using the My Students and Zoom In tabs.
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