Body
Overview
Personalizing comments help students better understand the concern and are more likely to encourage action. Use the examples below as a starting point when raising an Attendance Concern flag in MU Connect. The templates are organized into three different tones, but are intended to be flexible. Copy and paste the example as written, combine elements from multiple examples, and add course-specific details that provide helpful context for the student. Even a small amount of personalization can make your message more meaningful.
NOTE: This flag can be raised anytime using the My Students or Zoom In tabs in MU Connect or during Progress Survey availability (Weeks 4,5, 8, and 9, or Weeks 12 and 13 for Journalism and 8WK2 courses).
Goal: Understand why attendance is important and encourage re-engagement.
Formal Tone
- You've missed several classes, including discussions of key course concepts. Please review the missed materials in Canvas and make every effort to attend upcoming classes. If circumstances are preventing your attendance, please email me or your advisor so we can discuss next steps.
- Your attendance has fallen below course expectations, with multiple absences recorded over the past few weeks. Please review the attendance policy in the syllabus and plan to attend regularly moving forward. Let me know if there are challenges impacting your ability to be in class.
- Recent absences have caused you to miss important course activities and announcements. Please check Canvas for missed materials and assignments, and attend class next week prepared for our discussion. If you need assistance catching up, I am happy to help.
- I have noticed a pattern of missed classes. Regular attendance is important for success in this course, so please prioritize attending this class. Email me if you would like to discuss your situation or available resources.
- You've been absent from several recent class sessions, which may affect your understanding of course content. Please review what you missed and connect with classmates or course materials to catch up. Email me if you have questions or need support getting back on track.
Friendly Tone
- I've noticed you've missed some recent classes, including some important discussions and activities. Take a look at the materials you missed and plan to join us next week. If something is making attendance difficult, let me know and we'll talk through it.
- I haven't seen you in class lately, and I wanted to check in. Please review missed notes, assignments, and announcements in Canvas and try to get caught up this week. Email me if you have questions or need help figuring out where to start.
- You missed several recent class meetings, and I want to make sure you don't fall behind. Check Canvas for anything you missed and email me if you'd like help making a plan to catch up.
- We missed having you in class these last fe sessions. Please review the course materials from the days you missed and make attendance a priority moving forward. If something is getting in the way, I'm happy to talk through and help however I can.
- You've been absent a few times recently, including during some important course activities. Take some time to catch up on the missed work and join us for the next class meeting. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to discuss.
Direct Tone
- You've missed several recent classes. Review the missed materials in Canvas and attend the next class session. Contact me if you need help catching up.
- You were absent from multiple class meetings this week. Please catch up on missed assignments and course content as soon as possible. Reach out if you have questions or need support.
- Your recent absences are putting you at risk of falling behind. Review what you missed and plan to attend upcoming classes. Let me know if there are challenges affecting your attendance.
- You missed recent lectures and class activities that cannot be fully replicated outside of class. Check Canvas for materials and attend future classes regularly. Email me if you need assistance.
- Several absences have been recorded for this course. Please review the attendance policy, catch up on missed work, and attend class moving forward. Contact me if you'd like to discuss your situation or available options.
The following email is sent to students when this flag is raised. The bracketed information is updated based on the individual's information. The highlighted portion is customizable by the instructor within MU Connect when raising the flag.
Subject: Attendance Concern in [COURSE NAME]
[STUDENT FIRST NAME],
You haven't been attending class consistently. Check your syllabus to review the attendance policy and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
[INSTRUCTOR FIRST AND LAST NAME]
[INSTRUCTOR EMAIL]
The Mizzou community is committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of our students. Check out some of the well-being resources on campus, along with Academic Coaching and other Learning Center resources.
Your instructor raised this flag for you, and the MU Connect team values your feedback. Please take a moment to complete a short survey about your experience with this message and the Early Alert process. You'll also have the option to let the MU Connect team know if you'd like additional follow-up or support.