Purpose & Overview
Setting up two-way texting in Student Success & Engagement (SS&E) is a two-step process designed to provide staff and faculty with a dedicated, professional channel for student communication. Rather than using personal phone numbers, this system assigns each user a unique "System" number to streamline outreach, ensure message tracking, and maintain professional boundaries. To begin, you must trigger the system to assign you this unique number; once assigned, you should notify your students via email to ensure they recognize your messages and understand how to interact with this new dedicated support channel.
Step 1: Trigger Your Number Assignment
Your unique "Text Only" number is not pre-assigned; it is generated on-demand the first time you use the feature. Sending an initial "test" message acts as a technical signal to the system to provision and link a professional number to your specific profile.
- Identify a Test Recipient: Search for a student worker or a designated test student (e.g., "Sally Student-Taynor").
- Send the Initial Text:
- Go to the student's profile and click Message.
- Select the Text Message tab.
- Type a brief message (e.g., "Setup test") and click Send.
- Wait for Activation: It typically takes a few hours to 24 hours for the system provider to finalize your number.
- Verify Your Number: Once active, your new "System" phone number will automatically appear on your SS&E profile page directly under your photo.
Step 2: Notify Your Students
Before starting broad outreach, send an email to your students via SS&E to establish trust and ensure your texts aren't ignored or marked as spam.
Sample Email Template:
Subject: New Texting Number for [Your Name]
Hi [Student Name],
I’ve been assigned a new dedicated texting number to make it easier for us to communicate!
Please save [Insert Your System Number Here] in your phone as a "Text Only" contact for me.
When you receive your first text from this number, you will see a standard opt-out message—simply ignore it to stay opted-in so you don't miss any important updates. If you need to reach me via a voice call, please continue to use my office line at [Insert Office Phone Number].
Best, [Your Name]
Step 3: Managing Conversations
Once your number is visible on your profile, you are ready to message individual students or your entire caseload.
- Bulk Texting: Click the Inbox icon > +New > Text Message Tab. In the "To" field, you can select "All Students on My Caseload" to reach everyone at once.
- Email Fail-Safe: If a text cannot be delivered (due to an inactive number or a student opting out), SS&E will automatically convert the message into an email and send it to their institutional account.
Handling Opt-Outs
If a student replies with STOP, they are automatically unsubscribed.
- Tracking: Use the "Report for Student Opt Outs" to see which students have unsubscribed.
- Re-enabling: To resume texting, the student must send an opt-in keyword (such as START or UNSTOP) back to your specific "Text Only" number.