The Tools of the Trade

• UASuccess/Starfish/EAB-
  • UASuccess is one way the campus community builds connections between students and  support networks. For more on how to utilize this resource, check out this resource. 
• UAConnect-
  • UAConnect manages undergraduate and graduate student admissions, enrollment, records and financial accounts
• SignalVine-
  • SignalVine is a conversational text messaging platform used to engage students and keep them on track.

Opening Vision

Connecting with students can be a humbling experience. One minute we think this is going great and the next minute the conversation takes us into uncharted territory. We can’t possibly know every resource or understand every facet of the student experience, but we can be better prepared by using the software tools available to the coach.

In a perfect world, finding the answer is easy, navigation is intuitive, and coffee is free. But alas, this isn’t a perfect world and student success isn’t as formulaic as we would like. By using the critical tools of student success, we gather credible evidence of success (or failure) through data collection. By studying the evidence, we can tell more about the program and its effectiveness. This continuous process allows us to adapt and improve our strategies, ensuring we’re better equipped for our students.

Despite the unknowns, our commitment to using data and tools helps us better understand and support our students. By staying flexible and learning from experiences, we’re not just addressing challenges – we’re growing alongside our students.

Flexing Knowledge = Understanding

The UASuccess platform brings insight to student data, allowing coaches to take action and serve students proactively. UASuccess removes complicated barriers to modernize campus, making student intervention easy and integrated. If the coach understands UASuccess, a connection to other student success personnel around campus naturally occurs, as well as a connection to the students. Most importantly, the knowledge gained from providing intentional intervention and cohort management throughout the student journey will enable Fulbright coaches to be student-ready mentors offering scaled student support, and measurable results.

Early Alert

Early alert allows an instructor/coach to notify a student when there is a concern about performance or success in a class. Early Alerts, also known as flags, may identify frequent absences, missed assignments, low scores, or possible failure in a class. Starfish also allows instructors to raise kudos to celebrate a student’s success or improvement in a class. Students who receive flags, kudos or notes will receive an email and a notification will appear in the student profile.

Scheduling

Coaches may use UASuccess to manage office hours and individual meetings with your students. This can be done by clicking on the down caret next to your name and selecting Appointment Preferences. You may also include a Zoom or Teams personal link under My Locations, as well as any in-person locations you will utilize for meetings.

Case Management

UASuccess enables the coach to manage their cohort of students, not just those they’re coaching, but those they’re teaching. By connecting students to faculty and support services at the University of Arkansas, you are making a difference!

How should coaches connect with students via UASuccess?

• View information about students, including kudos, flags, referrals, to do items, and notes.
• See academic feedback given to students by instructors via concern flags, congratulatory kudos, and action referrals. Your program will be alerted when students receive this feedback.
• Create your own notes, make referrals, initiate to do items, and establish success plans in your appointments so your team can follow up and support your students.
• Document information about students and the support you have offered for your colleagues to reference.

Data & Decision Making 

This is a brief overview of how UASuccess (Starfish) can help you with your coaching responsibilities. For more detailed training in how to use UASuccess overall, you can go to Academic Advising. Go to https://myapps.microsoft.com/ and log in with your UA credentials.

For the IC Program, the main tracking item(s) utilized are the Coaching Intervention Action Flag and the IC Program Note. These items should be considered essential to student’s engagement. The Notes feature in UASuccess can be used like an email and will normally initiate communication between coach and student. A Note can also be a reminder to students documenting a meeting and the important items discussed. It’s all about the box you check. If the coach checks the box “Send copy of note to student”, then your note becomes in effect an email. If not, it is a meeting summary. Use your discretion, but always double check what boxes you have checked. Always use a succinct purposeful subject for easy reference and be concise in the notes. The flags feature is used more as an attention grabber and can be used if the coach sees a student struggling in classes or is reluctant to communicate or seek services which enable the student to succeed. Flags are typically cleared when the student has contacted the coach or other services on campus about the concern.

Get to Know the Flags and Kudos

Glossary of terms