General FAQs
What is Journey to Success/Datatel Retention Alert?
Journey to Success is a pilot program designed to help students who are falling behind in some way.
Retention Alert is a Datatel/Colleague module and tracking tool that is part of Journey to Success.
What is a Retention Coordinator?
Retention Coordinators at each college manage the program at the campus level and supervise Success
Coaches at their colleges.
What is a Success Coach?
Success Coaches engage with students face-to-face and/or by e-mail or other methods of
correspondence to help them through difficulties they might be having that affect their success in
school. Success Coaches are there to be a support system for that student and help them make plans for
their future.
What is the role of a faculty member participating in the pilot program?
Faculty members are responsible for opening a case for a student. If a faculty member notices a problem
with a student, it is expected that they will talk to the student about the problem before opening a case.
The Retention Alert module is not meant to replace individual interaction with a student, but is meant
as an extra support system to assist with that student’s retention. Once a faculty member opens a case,
the student’s assigned Success Coach will meet with the student and address the problem.
How will a student be notified that he or she is a part of the pilot program?
After a faculty member opens a case for a particular student, that student will be informed through his
or her instructor. Students have the right to decide they don’t want to be involved in the program.
How is a student assigned to a Success Coach?
When a faculty member opens a case, assignment of cases is done automatically by the Datatel
Retention Alert module according to the student’s last name.
How many sections will be in the pilot?
Each college has three to six sections of developmental courses -- DMAT, DREA and DWRI -- in the pilot
program, though HDEV is also included at some campuses.
Success Coach FAQs
What is a Success Coach?
Success Coaches engage with students face-to-face and/or by e-mail or other methods of
correspondence to help them through difficulties they might be having that affect their success in
school. Success Coaches are there to be a support system for that student and help them make plans for
their future.
How many students will a Success Coach be assigned?
The number will vary by size of location, number of Success Coaches and number of classes in the pilot.
The Datatel Retention Alert module automatically assigns students to a Success Coach by last name, so
we can’t predict the exact number of students a Success Coach will have each. The Retention
Coordinator at each location is the best person to contact if you have questions.
What if a Success Coach has reason to think a specific student should not be assigned to him or her?
The Success Coach can contact his or her college’s Retention Coordinator, who has the ability to reassign
students.
Faculty FAQs
What is the role of a faculty member participating in the pilot program?
Faculty members are responsible for opening a case for a student. If a faculty member notices a problem
with a student, it is expected that they will talk to the student about the problem before opening a case.
The Retention Alert module is not meant to replace individual interaction with a student, but is meant
as an extra support system to assist with that student’s retention. Once a faculty member opens a case,
the student’s assigned Success Coach will meet with the student and address the problem.
Can I report disciplinary problems through Retention Alert?
No. You should report those problems via the recommended channels at your college.
Why would I open a case?
You might open a case due to:
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Attendance issues
Missing/Late assignments
Low grades
Low participation
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Personal concerns
Lack of course materials
In the Datatel Retention Alert module, under Type of Concern, one of the choices is personal
concerns: What do those include?
This would include but is not limited to such concerns as divorce, court appearances, day care and
health issues. This category is by necessity less specific than the other categories.
How will I know when to open a case?
There are no specific guidelines for when to open a case. It can depend on your teaching style. For
example, if you pack necessary information into the first few class sessions, then students who miss
those classes could be at a disadvantage. In that case, opening a case early would make sense.
How detailed should faculty members be when referring students to the program?
Keep FERPA in mind when writing anything about a student in the Datatel Retention Alert computer
system. As a reminder, FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It is a federal law
that protects students by basically giving them the right to inspect and review education records. That
means that you should assume that anything you write about a student becomes part of a student’s
educational record. Be accurate and objective in what you write.
Is written permission from students required to participate in the pilot program?
No. This is a voluntary program, designed to help students succeed. We won’t require students to
participate, so we don’t need their written permission. If a faculty member opens a case, but the
student declines the invitation to meet with a Success Coach, we won’t close the case. A student is
allowed to change his or her mind.
What do I do if I think a student might be in danger or might be a danger to herself or others?
Follow your college’s protocol for dealing with that situation. If you would normally enlist help from
police or a counselor, for example, do so. If you unsure what to do, contact your college’s Retention
Coordinator.
Can a student who is not in any of the pilot classes request a Success Coach?
Success Coaches help with resources for life issues, which usually affect their performance in all classes.
Success Coaches can help guide the student to other resources, such as tutoring, help with study skills,
etc. However, only certain developmental classes are part of the pilot program. Students who are not in
the developmental classes that are part of the pilot program will not be provided Success Coaches.
Direct those students to the existing institutional resources. If you have questions, talk to your location’s
Retention Coordinator.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the Journey to Success program or the Retention Alert
module in Colleague?
The best source of information will be to check with the Retention Alert Coordinator at your college.
Those names are listed in your Retention Alert/Faculty binder. A Web site, being developed now, will
have more information. For the pilot program, the Help Desk will not be able to help with the Datatel
Retention Alert module.