The University of Missouri system is expanding a new early alert system to all four system campuses after receiving positive reviews on its pilot program during the past year, the Associated Press reported.

The MU Connect gives faculty, advisors and other key staff in each student's college life "he chance to give them praise and raise flags when there are concerns with their studies," the Columbia Daily Tribune reported. The goal is to keep an eye progress and raise flags when there are concerns with their studies that could hinder the student's success.

Jim Spain, vice provost for undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri, told the Columbia Daily Tribune that developing an alert system on campus has been a priority for school administrators for years.

During the spring 2013 semester, the University of Missouri's College of Engineering implemented a pilot of MU Connect, which uses an online tracking system known as Starfish.

After receiving positive reviews, each of the four system campuses is implementing the Starfish program at their own discretion.

With the alert system, students will have the ability to schedule appointments with their academic advisors when needed. Then, advisors will have access to all of the student's up-to-date information on grading and any notes that the advisor, faculty members or the student has made.

The university will set the criteria that determine when a student is struggling, which sends up a flag in the system.

"What it really helps with is us getting a better handle on if the student is struggling in just one class, because that's an entirely different conversation than if the student is struggling with all five of their classes," Spain said. "The goal is to move to an earlier intervention model. If a student completes a semester and did poorly on all five classes, that's a different situation than struggling at week four when we can still turn things around."

The program will cost the University of Missouri system $88, 4000 for the coming year. The program is being funded with part of a $12-per-credit-hour instructional technology fee that students pay every year, Spain said.