Starfish for Students

Overview

Starfish is about you, for you!

You may receive alerts/notification emails from Starfish indicating where a concern might be. You may also receive a kudos (compliment) email. The notifications are to keep you in the loop on how you are progressing (see alert notification list below).

Visit the Starfish Overview Video to learn more. 

Getting Started in Starfish

Select the Starfish Tab at the top of the page in myRedDragon. To set up your institutional profile, select the menu icon and then your name to edit your profile. Make sure you input your cell number so we can reach out to you directly. Under Notifications, set your preference to get a reminder for appointments!

Not every instructor or advisor uses Starfish for office or advising hours, but you can check your Dashboard and Connections to see if they have a blue "SCHEDULE" link in their profile. If so, select the link and the system walks you through the process!

Review: How to set up an appointment with your academic advisor or instructor.
You might find the overview video to be helpful, starting at 3:24: Starfish Overview Video.

The following information explains the email notifications you may receive through Starfish.

Flag Alerts

• Attendance Concern - You may receive this alert if you are not attending class regularly.
• Stopped Attending - This alert may be raised if you have stopped attending a course. 
• Never Attended - Your instructor may raise this alert if you have never attended class. This alert is only available during the first three weeks of the semester.
• Needs Improvement - You may receive this alert if there are areas in which your performance can improve. Your instructor will provide comments and guidance to help you succeed.    
• At Risk For Failing - read the message and take this alert seriously and follow-up with instructor. 
• Open Ended Comment - Some instructors use this option when they would like to provide feedback that is not covered by the alerts listed above.   
  Instructors can only view alerts that they have raised for students in their own courses. Your academic advisor, associate dean, and athletic coach (if applicable) may also have access to these notifications. 

If an instructor is taking the time to reach out, the information is important! Read your emails, respond when appropriate, and seek assistance needed. We are here to help you succeed. 

Kudos Definitions

• Keep Up the Good Work - You may receive this kudos from your instructor when you are performing well in a course.
• Outstanding Academic Performance - This kudos recognizes exceptional academic achievement. 
• No Feedback (at this time) - Your instructor does not have immediate feedback to share. Continue following your course syllabus and staying current with Brightspace requirements.

Student Raised Alerts

If you are not sure where to get help, you can raise your hand in Starfish and request assistance. There are five options: 

• I Need Help In A Course - Raise this alert for a specific course. Your message will be sent directly to your instructor.
• I Need Help - If you are not sure where to go for assistance, raise this alert and someone in Advisement and Transition will help connect you with the appropriate resources.
• I Need General Academic Help - Your message will be sent to The Learning Center.
• I Need Help With My Writing - Your message will be sent to the Writing Center.
• I Need Help with Career Guidance - Use this alert to request assistance with major exploration, career readiness, interview preparation, or other career related questions. Your message will be sent to Career Services. 

My Success Network
Every student will have a network of support (My Connections) that includes your instructors, academic advisor, associate dean, and potentially your coach, or another advisor if you are associated with CURE, EOP or Honors. These are the people or offices that make up your Connections/Success Network.

My Services

Every office on campus is here to help you. Three offices are highlighted in My Services: Financial Aid, The Learning Center and the Writing Center. These offices focus on supporting academic skills and writing success and a broad range of financial services. 

Services - Show Other Services

This is an at a glance, alphabetical list of our student support offices. Select the link and you will see a brief explanation of the services along with contact information!

Raise Your Hand

Select the Raise Your Hand icon to quickly ask for help. The Raise Your Hand feature will send an email to the instructor or office that can assist you. 

Dashboard

The Dashboard lists all of the above items at a glance. The Calendar feature is nice to see when your classes are hosted, click on the class for details.  Any Notifications will also be displayed. Follow up on these alerts!

Courses

All your classes are listed with instructor contact information. If they take attendance in Starfish, that information is also listed on the attendance tab. The agenda tab will display any alerts to help you keep track of your progress. All notifications will show here.

Take some time to explore Starfish! Look around the platform at the information available to you!

If you have questions, need help or want to provide feedback, please contact our Academic Success Advisors in Advisement and Transition at 607-753-4726 or [email protected]. Thank you.

Helping you achieve academic success

• Go to class (stay on a schedule even if the course is online - asynchronous).
• Be prepared.
• Use and review your syllabus (check Brightspace often).
• Pay attention to details.
• Communicate with your instructors.
• Utilize Starfish as well as your instructor's office hours.
• If you are going to miss class, inform your instructor beforehand.
• Ask questions. If you are not sure about something, chances are many other students are also struggling and would appreciate an explanation.
• If you don’t understand the material, visit your instructor during office hours for assistance.

Guide for Student Success