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MU Connect is Mizzou’s academic early alert and student support system. It allows instructors to raise flags (concerns), send kudos (positive feedback); these are sent as emails directly to students and show in MU Connect for tracking. Academic advisors and various student support services are able to see flags and kudos across courses and use them to help students stay on track. Here’s what you need to know in your first semester.
Why it Matters
- Students don't always realize they're struggling in a course (even with grades posted)
- Flags help identify concerns early to facilitate action; kudos boost motivation
- Advisors and support staff can see flags across courses to help identify patterns or larger concerns
- Students value direct feedback from instructors
3 Ways to Raise Alerts or Send Kudos
- Progress Surveys
- Sent at key points in the term
- Weeks 4–5, 8–9, 12–13 for 16-week semesters
- Weeks 2-3, 6-7 for summer terms
- Courses included in progress surveys:
- UG courses - full semester, first 8-week, and second 8-week in Fall and Spring; 8WK, 4WK1, and 4WK2 courses included in Summer term
- Course components - lecture/standard, discussion, field study, lab, private lessons, studio
- Courses from the School of Law, School of Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, along with Study Abroad and English Language Support Program courses are excluded from progress surveys
- You’ll receive an email notification when it’s time to complete each survey
- Zoom In tab
- Available at any time in the semester
- Raise multiple alerts based on performance filters.
- My Students tab
- available at any time in the semester
- Raise or review alerts for individual students anytime.
What Happens After you Raise a Flag or Send Kudos?
Students receive an email that includes:
- A greeting with their name
- The flag or kudo and course name
- Your written comment (from the text box within MU Connect)
- Additional details and resources
- Your name and email address
Tip: Since the full message already includes a greeting and signature, you can keep your comments short and focused on what matters most: why the flag was raised and what action the student should take.
Want to see samples for each flag and kudo? Check out the Flag and Kudo Comment Examples section of the Knowledge Base.
Understanding Flag Tiers
Outreach is conducted for flags raised based on their assigned tier. For more information, check out the Flag Tier Guide and Kudos & Referrals Overview.
- Tier 1: Attendance, Participation, Missing Assignment – No outreach required by advisors and support staff. Check with your academic unit to confirm expectations.
- Tier 2: Low Exam Score, Poor Performance – Outreach by support staff Athletics, CASE, Learning Center, TRiO.
- Tier 3: In Danger of Failing, Consider Withdrawal – Outreach required by advisors.
Faculty Tips
- Raise the most relevant flag (only one per student, if possible).
- Include specific, supportive comments to guide students and staff.
- You can resolve a flag if the concern has been addressed. Once a student drops or withdraws from a course, the flag resolves automatically.
Additional Resources