Starfish Highlights, Updates & FAQ

Spring 2022 Semester Updates

Starfish, a product of EAB, is a student success platform is used to increase the likelihood of the students’ success and of retaining them term to term by connecting them to key members of their “Success Network,” and through informed feedback on their progress at crucial points of the semester.

You can access Starfish by logging into the MyUMES Portal and clicking the Starfish icon. If you receive an error message, please contact CAAS check the status of your access.

Starfish access is “roles and relationships” based. Each member of the campus community is assigned a ‘role’ in Starfish based on their connection to the students. This ‘role’ determines the level of access, viewing permissions and the relationship to the students. For example, if you are teaching at least one course you will have an instructor role in Starfish, but if you also have advisees, you will also have the Faculty Advisor role. Your instructor role is term based, course dependent–the advisor role is ongoing unless the student is no longer your advisee. If you are a staff member, your role is based on the services you provide. If you are a student, you must be enrolled at the institution to access Starfish. You must have at least one role in order to have access to Starfish.

Progress Surveys are sent at strategic times during the semester to collect feedback on the progress of our students. The Early Progress survey is sent in week 3 or 4 after the drop/add period is over to assess no shows/non-attendance, potential participation concerns and to give instructors the opportunity to send encouraging kudos. The Midterm Progress Survey is sent after midterm exams and feedback should be based on graded work and observed behaviors. The Progress Surveys are sent to undergraduate courses only.

• Login to Starfish by clicking the icon in the MyUMES Portal.
• A link to your Outstanding Surveys will be displayed at the top of your Starfish homepage.
• Follow the link to reach the survey grid. Check the appropriate box next to the student’s name for whom you would like to report progress. You can add comments for individual students by clicking the plus sign after selecting a feedback item.
• If you wish to complete the survey in multiple sittings, click SAVE to save your progress.
• Click Submit to record that you have reviewed your students and send messages to students and their assigned advisers. Even if you don’t have any progress to report, it is important that you click Submit. You will receive a confirmation email.
• Items you raise will generate messages to students and their assigned advisers. Students are expected to take action based on your feedback.