Handbook

Introduction

Agents should read and abide by the policies found within this Handbook, as well as the policies found within the Springboard Company Handbook. The Springboard Company Handbook can be found Here. 

Roles and Duties

Purpose

BYU-Pathway Worldwide students see immense benefits in their academic, spiritual, emotional, and financial growth when they persist and complete the BYU-Pathway program. The purpose of our agents is to help students plan and register for future semesters as well as answer other questions.

Responsibilities

Agents will be expected to complete cases that have been escalated to their queue by students, Peer Mentors, and other teams. Agents will professionally answer questions, resolve issues, and communicate with students about their course planning via email, phone call, or video call. They will also be responsible for escalating tickets to Technical Support as necessary. Interactions will be monitored for professionalism and accuracy of the conversations in accordance with the resources provided by BYU-Pathway.  

Agent Help

Agents are students themselves.  As such, you will sometimes run into questions about your own student experience. If an agent has a question about themselves, they should contact their assigned Peer Mentor and/or submit their cases on the Help Center. Agents should not complete cases for their own account. 

Work Schedule

Most agents will set their own schedule depending on the team you belong to. Due to the religious affiliation of BYU-Pathway Worldwide and its students, Agents are discouraged from contacting students on Sundays. 

Agents are invited to schedule live meetings regularly (no more than once a week) with their leadership to help develop their skills. If agents do attend a meeting with their leadership, the agents should submit this as time worked.  

Time Off

Any time off (sick, vacation, or holiday) will be unpaid for agents. All agents should let leadership know when they will be away. 

Agent Student Policy

Agents are required to be a BYU-Pathway student. Students are still considered enrolled even if they take two semesters off. See OD – Drop/Withdraw/Defer 

Agents are eligible to work without taking courses up to 2 consecutive semesters (two semesters in a row). Agents who do not register for courses after missing 2 consecutive semesters will lose their active student status and will not be able to work as Agents. 

Single Role Serving BYU-Pathway Students

Agents play a vital role in helping students stay in the BYU-Pathway program. Likewise, Peer Mentors,  Missionaries, Instructors, Graders, and BYU-Pathway employees play important roles in the student experience. It is important to maintain clarity between the different roles. Therefore, Agents are only allowed to be contracted as Student Support Representatives. They are not able to be Peer Mentors, BYU-Pathway Missionaries, Instructors, or Graders serving BYU-Pathway students (through BYU-Pathway or third-party companies), or BYU-Pathway employees. 

Working on Holidays

On days that the BYU-Pathway Worldwide offices are closed, agents should follow the direction from Springboard and other leadership.

Professionalism Standards Summary

• Remember to approach your remote work as if you are working in an office.

• Have your camera on during video calls. 

• Be on time for appointments with students. 

• Work in a dedicated space free from distractions (including children, other family members, or pets).

• Have a professional background when your camera is on (a tidy space, free from visually distracting items).

• Dress professionally when on camera. 

Mindset

Agents are encouraged to approach their work with a growth mindset. The mission of BYU-Pathway Worldwide is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ. As agents engage in this great work, they too should feel they are becoming better disciples of Him. 

You should:

• Approach your work with an optimistic outlook

• Embody a growth mindset

• Assume the positive intent of colleagues

• Recognize ways you are helping to build the Lord's kingdom

Agent Self-Evaluations

Agents are required to complete self-evaluation forms every week. Self-evaluations should be completed by Saturday at 11:59 p.m. MST. Leadership will verify completion on Saturdays. 

Self-evaluations encourage self-reflection and reinforce expectations. Agents should spend at least 10 minutes every week reflecting and completing the form. Agents should be honest when submitting the self-evaluation.

Leadership will be monitoring the self-evaluation forms from your team. You can access the form on the homepage of the Hub. Please be sure to click on the correct team when it is time to submit your evaluation.

Performance Improvement Plans

Though rare, when a Agent’s performance continually falls short of expectations,  leadership will work with the agent to create a Performance Improvement Plan. Each person's situation is unique. Consistent unprofessional behavior that requires an improvement plan is considered uncommon.

If an improvement plan is the best course of action, the plan must:

• Be agent-led

• Include a specific goal or next step

• Include a specific follow-up date

• Include how leadership will help and support the agent

Most often, agents are able to work with leadership through a Performance Improvement Plan to meet the expectations of the position. In the extremely rare circumstance when performance continues to be unsatisfactory, the agent’s Service Agreement will be evaluated by leadership and may be terminated in advance of a semester ending, or the agent may not receive a subsequent Service Agreement.

The same standards are held for those living domestically. But those employed directly through BYU-PW, have a few different steps when it comes to Performance Improvement Plans. 

Agent-Student Professionalism Standards

Agents are expected to maintain professional interactions with students. In every situation, Agents should conduct themselves as a representative of the Lord and of BYU-Pathway Worldwide. Agents should follow these principles and rely on the Spirit to guide them through situations.

Language

One of the benefits of students and agents living in the same area is the ability to communicate in their native language. This often makes communication easier and more comfortable for students. Communication in English can also be beneficial to students who would like to improve their English to help them in their studies. When possible, Agents are encouraged to communicate with students in their preferred language.  But, if you are working with someone who asks for someone who speaks a specific language, agents should not pass off the student to another advisor who speaks the language. 

Voice and Tone

A consistent voice and tone show students that BYU-Pathway is dependable and reliable. ​​​​​​​

As agents serving BYU-Pathway students, you should convey the same tone as the BYU-Pathway organization. BYU-Pathway’s tone is hopeful, relatable, accessible, reassuring, clear, inspiring, accurate, and trustworthy. ​

• Write in a natural, conversational style.​

• Use active voice instead of passive.​

• Write with a positive perspective.​

• Be concise, eliminating unnecessary words when possible.​

• Emphasize that BYU-Pathway and its programs are good educational opportunities and spiritual and that the hope that comes from BYU-Pathway is hope in Jesus Christ.

Agents often develop close relationships with the students they work with. However, in all situations, Agents should remember their professional role as representatives of BYU-Pathway and the Church.

Agents should be wise and prudent in their use of sarcasm and laughter. Many BYU-Pathway students have learned English as a second language. Sarcasm may not come across the same way it would to a native English speaker. Students may also take offense to laughter. Agents are encouraged to use the Spirit of discernment to help them decipher what is appropriate when interacting with students. 

Important note

Most of the time, advisors gain the knowledge to resolve cases from articles, also known as KBs. These articles can be either external or internal. Internal KBs are intended solely for Advisors, so they must not share screenshots of internal KBs with students. Also, sharing internal information, like screenshots of the systems, should not be shared over email.

Terminology

Agents should not identify themselves as BYU-Pathway Worldwide employees or say they are employed by BYU-Pathway Worldwide. This includes their interactions with students. This also includes listing this position on resumes or on public sites such as LinkedIn. Agents are contracted by Springboard and serve BYU-Pathway Worldwide Students. Agents should avoid phrases like, "I am your BYU-Pathway Agent" or "I am your PathwayConnect Contact." Instead, agents should explain that they serve BYU-Pathway Worldwide students. 

Across the BYU-Pathway organization, certain terminology is used. The following table can help Agents use the correct terminology so BYU-Pathway has a consistent voice across the support department, Peer Mentors,  Instructors, Missionaries, Support, and other BYU-Pathway communication methods. While agents are encouraged to follow this terminology, do not correct students if they use an incorrect term.  Please scroll through the document below to see some frequently used terms.

Requests for Outside Support from Students

Throughout the normal course of advising students, agents and students may become close friends. This may lead a student to request support from a agents that is outside the realm of the agent role. Examples of these types of requests include, but are not limited to:

• Financial support

• Help with learning English

• Help with their course or academic concepts

• Help with personal or family issues

• Medical advice

This is to maintain the integrity of the role and protect both agents and students from potential boundary-blurring issues, the following policy is in place.

Policy

Agents should respectfully deny all requests for support from students that fall outside of the Agent role as detailed in the Agent job description and trained on in onboarding and ongoing trainings. We should not give medical advice or recommend medication for their students. Agents should speak to leadership if they are unsure if something falls outside the agent role. 

How to Respond to a Student Asking for Monetary Assistance

Policy: We do not give students money; we do help students set goals and brainstorm ways they can improve their financial situation.

Example: When responding to a student asking for financial assistance, remain calm and keep your response simple and professional. Below is an example of something you could say:

“I’m sorry I’m not able to help you in that way, but as a support agent, I can help you brainstorm ways for you to get the resources you need. Can you think of anything extra you could do to earn money? Is there anyone in your life that you could go to for financial help?”

How to Respond to a Student Asking to be a Speaking/Discussion Partner

Policy: Support Agents, are not to act as speaking/discussion partners for students, but they can help students brainstorm ideas for where they could find someone to practice speaking English with (family, friends, neighbors, Gathering group members, fellow church members, former missionaries/mission companions, etc.)

Example: "Being a speaking/discussion partner is not a part of my role as agent, but I would love to help you brainstorm a way for you to find a partner. Who do you know who also speaks English or is learning English? Could you ask someone in your Gathering group?"

Student Account Information

Agents should not ever ask students for their BYU-Pathway login information. Agents can do Zoom or other screenshare calls with students to help them navigate their portal, but they should never log into their portal, or other applications on their behalf. This does not include impersonating portals as trained in onboarding as that does not require you to log in to a student's account. 

Student in Crisis

Information about aiding students in crisis is available through the "Students in Crisis" Knowledge Article.

Student Contact Policy

Agents should not call or text a student after 9 p.m. in the student’s time zone unless the Agent has a pre-established relationship with the student and knows the student is available at that time or if the Agent has an appointment with the student during those hours.

Missionary and Instructor Contact Policy

Agents should not contact missionaries or instructors on behalf of the students. If an instructor or missionary contacts a agent on behalf of a student, the agent should encourage the instructor or missionary to have the student reach out directly. These practices encourage principles of self-reliance in students.

BYU-Pathway Focus Group Participation

Agents are also students themselves and are sometimes invited to participate in various focus groups. When attending a focus group, Agents should consider what role they were invited for, whether it was as a student or as an Agent. 

Invitations to participate in focus groups as a agent should always be cleared through Springboard leadership. Questions in these focus groups will be focused on services agents provide to BYU-Pathway students or perspectives the agents have from serving BYU-Pathway students. Questions should not be asked regarding Springboard company practices. 

If a agent participates in a focus group from the student's perspective, agent should answer questions from the student's perspective and not as a agent for BYU-PW.  

Inappropriate Student Behavior

BYU-Pathway Worldwide is committed to promoting and maintaining a safe and respectful environment.

Students involved in behavioral misconduct, abuse of administrative processes, violation of BYU-Pathway policy or procedures, inappropriate classroom behavior, intimidation, threats, violence, or other inappropriate actions at a gathering or in public, may be required to leave the program or the gathering when their misconduct significantly and adversely impacts the program’s ability to perform its mission or disrupts the general environment BYU-Pathway is striving to achieve.

When it is determined that an individual is involved in significant disruptive behavior, the student will receive an appropriate sanction, including, but not limited to: counsel and education, warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal from BYU-Pathway. Referral for criminal prosecution will be made when warranted.

Occasionally, Agents will encounter inappropriate students. In these situations:

• The agent will politely inform the student that their behavior is inappropriate.

• If the behavior continues, the agent will escalate the case to leadership. 

Technology Outages

Technology outages happen, both as a result of systems but also as a result of power or internet outages at an agent’s remote work location.

In the case of a system outage (i.e. the Portal being down), Agents are encouraged to try to continue to conduct their work if possible. 

If an Agent encounters a power outage or an internet outage, the Agent should let leadership know.