Helping a TSTC Student Succeed (HATSS)

HATSS is a mentoring program designed to aid students who are on financial aid and/or academic suspension.   TSTC faculty, staff, and administrators volunteer to mentor students for success in their program of study.  Students placed on suspension must first appeal to the Financial Aid Office and/or to the Division Director or assignee to be considered for the HATSS program.  When a student is recommended for the HATSS program, the following interventions will be implemented:

v  Students placed on financial aid suspension will be allowed to register for no more
 than 9 hours during the suspension semester.

v  Students will be eligible to receive financial aid for no more than nine hours for the
suspension semester. If the semester GPA improves to at least a 2.0, full financial   
aid will be re-instated the next semester but the student will continue on probation until the cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or higher.

v  Students placed on scholastic/academic suspension will be allowed to register for one semester.   A student who re-enters the college after having been suspended will be placed on scholastic probation and be subject to the minimum probation requirements.

v  Students will be required to attend a 1-hour session on knowledge and application of
 learning strategies coordinated through the Office of Student Success. This program
 will be a workshop type format covering the following learning strategy topics:

·         Learning styles/multiple intelligence

·         Critical thinking
Managing your time

·         How to read a textbook
Methods for Note-taking

·         Studying and test-taking skills

OR  a workshop facilitated by the General Studies in technology Program (GST) from the Office of Student Success.  These workshops normally take place throughout the semester. Topics covered include:

·         Time Management

·         Study Skills

·         Effective Listening

·         Campus Resources

·         How to Calculate your GPA

v  Mandatory Attendance to the College 101 Workshop is required of all mentees.  This workshop will be facilitated by the Office of Student Success before and/or at the beginning of each semester.  This workshop is very engaging and includes information on college knowledge, as well as other vital information that may affect a student’s success in college.  

v  Students will be assigned a mentor for the semester through the Office of Student Success. The Office of Student Success will coordinate a Mentor Meet & Greet so that mentors and mentees can meet and coordinate mentoring sessions for the rest of the semester. Mentors will communicate with their assigned student on a regular basis throughout the semester and vice versa.

Mentor’s Roles & Responsibilities:

·         Attend an orientation on the HATSS program.

·         Attend a Mentor Meet & Greet at which time mentors will be assigned to their mentees. Mentors will also go over My Plan for Success form with mentees to set semester goals.  Mentors will pick up My Plan for Success form during the second face-to-face individual meeting (NOT during Meet & Greet)

·         Make 4-6 contacts throughout the semester (after Mentor Meet & Greet).  Schedule the second and last mentor/student meeting as a face-to-face meeting. Other contacts may consist of telephone or e-mail communication.  Document contacts using the HATSS Mentoring Contact Log forms provided by the Office of Student Success

·         Monitor Mentee academic progress and encourage Mentees to succeed.

·         Contact the Office of Student Success if: 1) your mentee is not complying with required meetings or communicating with you, 2) if you have any other problems related to mentoring or the mentee, or 3) for student referral services to outside agencies (depending on the student’s needs).

·         Complete a Program Evaluation Form and submit with your Mentor Packet to the Office of Student Success  via campus mail  (or call us to pick it up) at the end of each semester.

·         Notify the Office of Student Success if for some reason you are no longer able to serve as a HATSS mentor (medical leave, retirement, etc.)

      Mentee’s Responsibilities:

·         Attend a Mentor Meet & Greet at which time mentees will be assigned a mentor.

·         Mentees are responsible for completing and submitting a HATSS Mentoring Application and  My Plan For Success form to set semester goals.  Forms must be submitted to mentors during the second face-to-face mentor meeting (NOT during Mentor Meet & Greet)

·         Responsible for attending all face-to-face mentor meetings and communicating with mentors via email and/or telephone.

·         Attend College 101 Workshop

·         Contact the Office of Student Success for additional assistance or if they have any other questions or problems communicating with Mentor.

·         Responsible for complying with all HATSS program requirements.

·         Responsible for completing a Program Evaluation Form and submitting it to the Office of Student Success

Office of Student Success Responsibilities:

·         Notifying Division Directors, Advisors, and/or instructors and/or the Financial Aid Office of student’s participation in the HATSS program for registration clearance via email and/or HATSS Registration form.

·         Facilitating Mentor Meet & Greet.

·         Notifying mentors  and mentees of Mentor Meet & Greet event.

·         Providing Information Packets for Mentors & Mentees.

·         Providing referral services for Mentees once referred by Mentors.

·         Tracking for student success by tracking mid-term grades and final grades of all Mentees.

·         Facilitating College 101 Workshop.

·         Collecting Mentor Packets at the end of each semester.

Any questions regarding the HATSS program should be referred to Norma A. Salazar, Director of Student Success at (965) 364-4557, Shannon Mette, at (956) 364-4163, or Ray Perales at (956) 364-4164.