Starfish for Faculty & Advisors
Starfish connects students to the information, resources, and services they need to succeed through a personalized success network. It houses an early warning feature that allows faculty to provide student performance feedback early in the semester, connecting students with the support they need.
Starfish helps you ...
- Set up your office hours and schedule appointments with students
- Raise early alerts (flags & kudos) for students
- Find a “one-stop-shop” organized list of students you are connected to (advisee/advisor relationship, professor/student relationship, etc.)
- Send messages to students you are connected to.
Want to get started?
Log-in through my.newpaltz.edu OR use this direct link. If you do not have access to Starfish and would like access, please contact Student Success at x3590 or studentsuccess@newpaltz.edu.
For an introduction to Starfish, watch the Intro to Starfish Series Part 1 & 2.
Get Familiar with Starfish
Starfish Q+A
Starfish’s online scheduling feature allows students to easily schedule appointments with you online based on when you are available. Starfish connects to your Office 365 Calendar and automatically updates students if you cancel an appointment.
For instructions, view these step-by-step directions OR watch this video (skip to the 00:21 time mark)
For directions on how to update pre-existing office hours, click here.
For directions on how to update office hour locations, click here.
For directions, you can watch this video.
TIPS:
It is recommended that you upload a profile picture on Starfish so students can see your face in their Success Network in Starfish.

For directions, view these step-by-step instructions.
For a detailed list of all tracking items available to faculty/staff along with the corresponding automated messaging, click here.
You can send messages to your students via Starfish (individually or in bulk) that go directly to their SUNY New Paltz email. If students send a reply to the message, it will go directly to your SUNY New Paltz email.
Click Here for directions on how you can message your students using Starfish.
Progress surveys are campus-wide initiatives that allow for the quick collection of faculty feedback about student performance. Progress survey reporting items inform students and their advisor about academic concerns at specific times of the semester.
Faculty will receive instructions when the survey opens, and receive a reminder email prior to the due date if their progress surveys have not been completed. Each progress survey email will include thorough instructions, links to videos, and contact information.
- For directions on how to complete the Spring '23 Enrollment Census Survey, Click Here
- For directions on how to complete the Spring '23 Progress Survey, Click Here
- For video directions on how to complete the Spring '23 Progress Survey, Click Here
- For directions on how to submit a BLANK survey (for co-taught courses ONLY), view this document: Submit a BLANK Census Survey
Flags allow faculty to alert a student and their primary role advisor regarding any concern about the student’s classroom performance. The flag acts as a catalyst for advisors to get in touch with the student, make a plan on how to resolve the concern, and put the student on the path to a successful semester.
The Kudos feature allows faculty to recognize students who are on the right track, who have shown improvement, or deserve acknowledgement. Preliminary research shows kudos to be particularly impactful on students later in the semester (around week nine).
For a detailed list of all tracking items available to faculty/staff along with the corresponding automated messaging, click here.

Notes regarding advisors outreach to students in relation to the flag(s) you raised can be found in the students Starfish profile. Follow these instructions to access flag comments and/or close the loop comments made by the advisor.