Talk to the Hawk

Talk to the Hawk is an AI-powered texting service that can not only answer your questions but also check in from time to time.

Talk to the Hawk provides 24/7 support to UND undergraduate students on hundreds of student-related questions related to such things as important deadlines or connecting to campus resources and services.

This is an AI-powered texting service that strives for accuracy, but mistakes can happen. Because of this, your texts aren't anonymous, and select UND staff have access to these texts. If you are in an emergency or crisis, call 911.

When will Talk to the Hawk text you?

Talk to the Hawk will reach out to undergrad students at the beginning of the semester and periodically throughout the semester to check in.

How to text Talk to the Hawk?

1. Add Talk to the Hawk’s number to your contacts once you receive the introductory message and simply reply to start chatting.
2. Talk to the Hawk can provide you with information or guide you to resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If Talk to the Hawk can’t answer your question, you will be directed to a UND staff member for additional assistance. UND staff will then respond to you during regular business hours.

What kind of questions can Talk to the Hawk assist with?

• Academics (tutors, academic advisors, study skills)
• Financial matters (financial aid, filling out the FAFSA, bill payment plans)
• Student life and involvement activities (clubs. events, organizations)
• Mental and physical health and overall well-being (counselors, wellness info, campus recreation)
• So much more

How do I opt out of Talk to the Hawk?

To opt out, text "STOP" at any time.

To opt in after you have opted out, text #START to 1.866.371.4369.

What if someone says something concerning to Talk to the Hawk?

If students share concerning information about mental health, violence, or sexual misconduct, Talk to the Hawk will inform students of resources (e.g., emergency assistance), remind students that Talk to the Hawk is not an official reporting tool, and send an alert to the relevant UND office. That alert will have the concerning portion of the chat included, which will enable the office to do individualized follow-up during business hours.

Are student chats private?

Chats are considered educational records and are protected by FERPA.

How is student data protected, and what information is shared with the Talk to the Hawk platform?

Protecting student data is a core priority. We do not share more data than is necessary to support our students.

Additional mechanisms are in place to protect student data:

• EdSights follows FERPA and institutional privacy standards.
• Student data is not sold or used for marketing or commercial purposes.
• When you interact with Talk to the Hawk, your questions and responses may be used to improve how it works and help UND better support students. This information is used only to improve services and performance. It is not used to train external tools (such as ChatGPT or other public AI systems).

When Talk to the Hawk conducts proactive outreach, it often suggests various resources relevant to individual students. Talk to the Hawk has to connect appropriate resources to students, which is done by sharing important pieces of information with the platform such as basic contact information, identifiers, and academic status indicators (such as name, UND email, phone number, academic standing, major, and enrollment status).

Troubleshooting

There are several reasons why you might not be able to "Talk to the Hawk."

1. You have yet to receive the introductory text message.
2. You do not have a United States-based phone number (international phone number).
3. You are not currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at UND.
4. You replied “STOP” and haven’t opted back in.
5. Your cell phone number in Campus Connection does not match the number you are using.
   1. Log in to Campus Connection.
   2. Click on the Profile tile.
   3. Click on the menu item you want to update:
      • Contact Details
        • Add a phone number 
          
          • Make sure this phone number is set as preferred.

If you require additional support, email UND.communitystandards@UND.edu for assistance.

I think Talk to the Hawk provided inaccurate information. What should I do?

Many people have been involved in the creation of Talk to the Hawk’s knowledge base, but mistakes happen. If you receive inaccurate information, please let us know by emailing UND.communitystandards@UND.edu