The Advisor

Yes, you can have fun with filters in Starfish! You can filter on several attributes to create a list of students that you need to provide additional support to or that you need to recognize as doing great work.

Filter for Currently Enrolled Students:

1. Access Starfish through myGate or Canvas
2. Click on My Students. All students you have a connection with (teaching, advising) will appear unless you have your connection set to something other than All My Students.
3. Click on Add Filters (upper right)
4. The filter list will appear.
5. Click on Attributes
6. Click on Add Attribute (green plus sign). The attribute list will appear.
7. Select "Currently Enrolled this Term" from the list of attributes
8. Set the Specific Value to True
9. Click Submit
10. Go back to My Students.
11. Select Primary Advisor as your Connection
12. Now, only those currently enrolled students will appear

• You can then send a note (email) to all or one. You can also send Kudos or raise flags.
• I leave this on permanently so that I am always looking at currently enrolled students. Starfish pulls student enrollment for the last year so this filter is important. Data is updated nightly.

Filtering for Grade Concerns:

Now that you have the above filter applied, you can add up to four more filters. At midterm grade time, I select the Midterm Grade Concern (D or E Received) to then be able to view students who have Ds or Es at midterm. Outreach can then be differentiated for those with grades concerns and those that are doing well. You can also filter on Final Grade Concern (D or E Received) after final grades post for each term.

Filters are fun! You can also filter on retention score, other attributes, and more. Take a look! A user guide with screenshots is attached below.

Training Available! Would you like one-on-one or small group training? If so, please email Peggy Whaley at pwhaley@murrasytate.edu.

Your efforts in submitting midterm grades provide students with valuable insight into their progress and what they need to focus on in the coming weeks. Students truly appreciate having this feedback. Thank you!

At the recommendation from those involved in the QEP on student mental health, the default assignment due time is changing from 11:59PM in Canvas to 5:00PM. This change is intended to encourage more consistent sleeping habits, and to not encourage other unhealthy coping mechanisms. Note that when you import content from a course shell or a prior term's offering, the assignment due times will override the defaults. As with any assignment, you can always change due times. However, at the recommendation of the QEP Committee and the President's Commission on Retention and Persistence, we encourage you to examine whether or not your assignment due times are effective and that they reinforce more healthy behaviors. (Written by Ashley Ireland, Assistant Provost & Director of Online Learning )

• Consult with the Office of Veteran and Military Student Success (VMSS) before you advise a military connected student to drop classes. Withdrawing from classes can have a negative impact on their VA benefits. Email msu.va@murraystate.edu or call Josh Williams, VMSS Coordinator, at 270.809.5343.

Humane Society Pet Therapy, Loaf the Pig, and Dakota the Miniature Horse will be in attendance at Racers Empower! We'll also be painting pumpkins and have the Murray Bank handing out FREE ice cream. We will encourage students to make an appointment with their advisor to be Racer Ready to Register!

This year, we're excited to unveil the Faces of First-Gen—a space where students can learn more about fellow first-gen students, faculty, and staff. FACULTY AND STAFF: If you were a first-generation college student (neither parent graduated with a 4-year degree), please take a moment to fill out this Google form, which includes two questions about your college success. We also ask that you upload a headshot through the form. If needed, University Photography will be taking headshots during the celebration on November 6. Please complete the form by November 1, 2024.

Murray State is pleased to be a member of the First-Gen Forward Network where the "Future is First-Gen."

NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising is the premier Association for student success through academic advising in higher education. Formally chartered on May 2, 1979, NACADA serves its members through a variety of professional development and networking opportunities. In addition, the Association supports student success at the institution level through its comprehensive consulting services, Outcomes of Advising Surveys, and NACADA Excellence in Academic Advising program. NACADA’s elected and appointed leadership works in cooperation with the NACADA Executive Office to lead the 15,000-member not-for-profit Association. Learn More!

The Kentucky Advising Academy (KAA) provides a free comprehensive series of professional learning and resources for school counselors, Family Resource/Youth Service Center (FRYSC) coordinators, and all professional educators as well as flexible opportunities to connect with higher education and postsecondary advising leaders. The goal of the Kentucky Advising Academy (KAA) is to support Kentucky educators in providing students equitable access to postsecondary advising for a successful transition from their secondary education to their desired career. The KAA supports educators serving in advising roles by providing comprehensive professional learning sessions, online resources and networking opportunities centered around postsecondary advising.

Learn More!

Kentucky Advising Academy's Advising Toolkit

Below are important resources to view now and reference throughout the semester.

• Academic Advising Website for YOU and Students
  
• Academic Deadlines and Important Dates
• Mental Health Resources (Includes on and off campus resources)
  
• Student Basic Needs
• Registration Resources (Includes myRegistration resources)
• Student Financial Services:
  
• Bursar's Office
  
• Financial Aid Office
  
• Scholarship Office
  
• University Catalog

Not Sure Where to Start? Start with us! Center for Student Engagement and Success | msu.success@murraystate.edu

If you have article or resource suggestions or questions, please email Peggy Whaley, Director of Student Engagement and Success, at pwhaley@murraystate.edu.

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The Advisor | October 2024