Submitted by Student Development
Effective Spring 2020, we are “all in” with Starfish. Yes! ALL CREDIT STUDENTS are now in the Starfish student success and communication system. You asked, we answered. (Okay – it took a little time, but we’re there now!)
Why is this news? Up until now, only case-managed students were in Starfish. NOW you will see your entire class list on your “My Students” tab within this system. Now you can raise a flag, make a referral or share positive encouragement on any student in your class at any time in the semester.
How are we doing this? Starting this semester, if you flag a student who does not have an assigned advisor, the follow up will come from one of our two lead advisors – Sara Piraino and Katye Speer.
Why don’t some students have an assigned advisor? We turned on the case management, assigned advisor model in Fall 2017. Students who were at the College prior to that time were not assigned. Over time, our goal is 100% inclusion in case management for credential-seeking students but we’re not there yet. Rather than wait, we want to provide a solution now.
What about surveys? No change. Starfish “Progress Surveys” will continue to list only a subset of students from your class. The first set of surveys for this semester was launched on February 3, 2020 and are due by February 23, 2020.
The evidence speaks for itself. Starfish = partnership = student success. Students who are flagged by a faculty member and then connect with an advisor (to discuss the concern) have term-to-term persistence rates that are 20-25 percentage points higher than flagged students who do not connect with their advisor.
Secret to success? Providing feedback about student progress – whether concerns or sharing kudos – is the secret to Starfish success. Students love knowing that they have a team in their corner. Overheard from a student recently: “I knew Harper was for me when I realized teachers and advisors really take an interest and are there when I need them.”
Questions? Need Assistance? We’re ready to help! Contact us for “desk side support” or a quick Q & A anytime. Email us at leadadvisors@harpercollege.edu or call 847.925.6220 for assistance.