Flag Tier Guide and Kudos & Referrals Overview

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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