Faculty Guide: Academic Status Reports (ASRs)

Academic Status Reports (ASRs) are part of a university-wide student support system that provides students early, personalized feedback about their class progress and alerts academic advisors when needed. Faculty should submit early ASRs for any students who are not performing satisfactorily due to missing classes, missing assignments/quizzes, or poor work quality. Faculty can also submit positive ASRs for students who are progressing well in the class. Instructors teaching 100 and 200-level courses are expected to generate ASRs early and often. Students are notified weekly through My ASU and via system-generated emails when they receive an ASR.

NOTE: Faculty should submit an ASR for any student who does not attend class sessions or submit assignments during the first two weeks of the session.

We strongly recommend that faculty: 1) include a statement about ASRs in their syllabus, 2) post a class announcement prior to the first ASR submissions, 3) send follow-up messaging to students who are having difficulty in the class. Templates for syllabus, announcements, and emails are provided below.

How to:

An Academic Status Report is composed of:

Grade or status (required)*
Reason(s) the student is receiving an ASR
Recommended action(s) for the student to take
Free form text comments (254 characters)*

*When using the external file import function the grade and free form text fields are available, however, the reason and action fields are not.

For the required grade/status field, select a reporting option for this field:

Use a letter grade
Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory
All Students Satisfactory

When possible, please include the reason(s) for students with a status of “Unsatisfactory” or a grade below a C.

Tips for efficiently submitting ASRs for students in larger class sections:

Method 1: Manual Submission Select the “All Students Satisfactory” reporting option to prepopulate the grade of “S” for all students. Then, change the status for individual students who are performing at an unsatisfactory level.
Method 2: External File Upload. This section describes using an external file to submit ASRs.
- Select the reporting option that corresponds with your file. Then upload an external file that includes three columns: the students’ 10 digit student ID, their grade/status value, and comments (even if you’re not entering comments).
- If status can be based on an assignment or attendance column in Canvas gradebook, you can download the gradebook and then use a logic formula to convert the grade to S or U to create the external file. Note: Reasons and Actions cannot be specified when using the external file import function..

For more details, please reference the ASR JobAid on how to use the ASR system.

Submitting an ASR

When to submit an ASR:

The ASR system works on a weekly reporting period (Monday through Sunday) throughout your class session (see the fall 2023 ASR schedule). Students will be notified of ASRs after the weekly reporting period ends on Sunday. The system reopens every Monday at 12:01 a.m.

First ASR: Weeks 1-3 (Session C); Weeks 1-2 (Session A/B)

Students who do not attend class or fail to submit assignments early in the session are at high risk of not succeeding in their classes. It is critically important these students understand their class status and how they can take action to improve their class performance. Faculty should submit an ASR for any student who does not attend class sessions or submit assignments during the first two weeks of the session. It is recommended that faculty include the reason(s) so the student knows why they received the ASR.

Example: A student did not attend the first two class sessions and did not submit the first assignment.

For larger sections using external file

Grade status = unsatisfactory (U)
Free Form Text (optional) = Please attend class and complete class assignments

For smaller sections using manual submission

Grade status = unsatisfactory (U)
Reason =
- Inadequate class attendance
- Missed assignments
Action =
- Attend class
- Complete assignments
- Meet with instructor

ASRs: Weeks 4-12 (Session C); Weeks 3-6 (Session A/B)

Faculty should submit ASRs for any students earning a D or E (i.e., unsatisfactory status) after the third week of class. Those students may require additional support from instructors, TAs, and/or advisors. Prompt notification and action can help the students get back on track to succeed in class. ASR submissions are monitored and multiple ASRs will initiate additional intervention. We strongly recommend faculty send follow-up messages to students to offer encouragement and resources. Keep the tone of the message positive and emphasize that you want them to succeed in class (see provided templates). If you have concerns regarding a student’s well-being or changes in their behavior, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students for direct assistance.

Communicating with Students about ASRs

Academic Status Reports are part of a university-wide system. Students (particularly new students) may not be familiar with them. It is important for faculty to communicate with students so they understand the purpose of ASRs and what they should do if they receive one.

We strongly recommend that all faculty:

Include a statement about ASRs in their syllabus
Post a class announcement prior to the first ASR submissions
Send follow-up messaging to students who are having difficulty in the class.

Sample Canvas / Syllabus Text

This course incorporates an early alert reporting system called Academic Status Reports (ASRs) to give you helpful updates throughout the semester. An ASR will let you know if you are progressing well or if there are concerns related to your class performance. Concerns may be related to missing classes, missing assignments, or the quality of your work. ASR notifications will be sent to your ASU email address and are visible on My ASU in the My Classes box. The ASR may provide recommended actions, such as meeting with your instructor, TA, or academic advisor. If you receive an ASR, don’t ignore it and keep calm (it might be good news). Read the message, follow the suggested instructions, and don’t delay. Information for making an appointment with your academic advisor can be found on My ASU in the Academic Support Team box. Students should view ASRs as confirmation of good work or use them as a catalyst to make changes, seek assistance, and improve in the course.

You can learn more about ASRs on the Academic Status Report Resources page.

ASR FAQs

What are Academic Status Reports (ASRs)?

Academic Status Reports (ASRs) are part of an important university-wide student support system that provides students early, personalized feedback about their class progress and alerts academic advisors when needed. Faculty should submit early ASRs for any students who are not performing satisfactorily due to missing classes, missing assignments/quizzes, or poor work quality. Instructors can also submit positive ASRs for students who are progressing well in the class.

When should I submit ASRs?

You can submit an ASR throughout your class session (except the very end of the session), and you will have access to the ASR system on the first day of the class. The ASR system works on a weekly reporting period (generally from Monday to Sunday). Faculty should submit first ASRs as early as possible so students are alerted and have enough time to get back on track. We strongly recommend that faculty submit their first ASRs by the third week of class in Session C and by the second week of class in Sessions A/B. If a student continues to experience difficulties, faculty should submit additional ASRs to provide feedback and offer support to the student.

Instructors teaching 100 and 200-level courses are expected to generate ASRs early and often. Students are notified weekly through My ASU and via system-generated emails when they receive an ASR.

How do I submit an ASR?

The Academic Status Report system is accessible through the My ASU Faculty page. In the My Classes box, click the “Class Tools” icon and select “Academic Status Report” from the list. The Academic Status Report function is available for those with access to post grades for each class. For more information on accessing and submitting ASRs, please click here.

I can’t submit ASRs for my class. What should I do?

Only users who have access to post grades can submit ASRs for a class. If you are the instructor of record and are having trouble accessing the ASR system, please email academicstatusreportsystem@asu.edu for additional support.

How are students notified of an ASR?

After the ASR reporting period closes each Sunday, students are notified in two ways: 1) a notification email sent to their ASU email account and 2) an icon alert in their My ASU (under “My Classes”). Students will see the information submitted by the instructor and a link to the Academic Status Report Resources site.

Instructors are also strongly encouraged to post a class announcement prior to the first ASR submissions and send follow-up emails to students who are having difficulty in class.

How should I follow up with students who receive ASRs? Are there sample messages I can use?

After submitting ASRs, we strongly recommend that faculty send follow-up messages to individual students offering encouragement and support. Sample student messages are provided here.

Can I submit ASRs for students who are doing well or improving in class?

Yes! ASRs can also be used to provide positive messages and feedback to students. To submit a positive ASR, select “Good Work” for the reason.

How do ASRs help students succeed in class?

One important function of ASRs is letting students know that they are not performing well in class. It is possible for students to be unaware of attendance policies or missed assignments. Students who are struggling with assignments may not know how to get help. When submitted early, faculty can use ASRs to alert students about their performance status and provide information on resources. Faculty can use ASRs to identify students who need more support and reach out to those students to offer assistance and encouragement. Certain cases (e.g., specific reasons, recommended actions, multiple ASRs) can trigger proactive advising outreach by academic advisors or success coaches. ASRs are part of a system that involves students, faculty, and advisors working together to develop pathways for success.

I am concerned regarding a student’s well-being. Should I submit an ASR?

If you have any concerns regarding a student’s well-being or changes in behavior, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students for direct assistance.

More information about ASR access, how to submit ASRs and technical tips can be found here. Review this page for student ASR FAQs and resources. Faculty may also email academicstatusreportsystem@asu.edu with any ASR-system questions or additional support.