Faculty and Staff Guide
A significant benefit to being on the faculty or staff of a small college is the opportunity to work with young people at an exciting stage in their lives and to encourage their matuaration and development. Faculty and staff members interact with students in a variety of roles and can notice when there is a change in their behavior or in their emotional health. These changes include changes in academic performance, personal hygiene, classroom attendance, tearfulness, unprovoked anger or hostility, self-injury (cutting), isolation, etc. These behaviors are significant and may be ways that a student is expressing a need or wish for help or assistance. The facutly or staff member confronted with these situations may feel unsure about how to communicate thier concerns to the student.
If you are unsure about how to speak to a student whose actions are of concern to you, you can consult with one of the clinicians at Student Counseling Services to brainstorm various possible ways for you to proceed, by either speaking directly to the student, referring the student to an appropriate resource or contacting staff or administrators who can monitorthe student. to consult with one of the counselors, call the Student Counseling Services' main number, 439-4587, (or ext. 4587).
The Student Counseling Services staff members are often limited in what they are able to do outside of their offices. We offer treatment to any student who requests it but we cannot "reruit" patients. We will not approach students with concerns that others have about them. The Student Life Office deans and academic deans can be more proactive int heir approaches to students. They are able to contact students who might be troubled or whose behavior is of concern to faculty, staff or other students, or whose actions are disrupting the orderly functioning of the campus community.
If you think that a student could benefit from some counseling or if the student seems to be in some crisis, you can refer the student directly to our office (x4587) and suggest they make an appointment. In the past faculty and staff members have even walked a student to our offices either to make an appointment or to be seen by a counselor immediately. In urgent situations we will make space in our schedlues to see a studen in need immediately. No one can compel a student to seek counseling treatment. However, if you encounter a student, that you think is in distress or whose behavior is disruptive, but is resistant to counseling, you can contact that student's academic dean or call one of the deans in the Student Life Office who could follow-up with that student.
No student should have license to disrupt continually the orderly functioning of the college community life, even if there is an emotional or mental health "cause" for it. These types of behaviors are better viewed as needing disciplinary action. Clinical treatment should not be seen as an excuse for bad behavior.
Coping with Students in Crisis- a Faculty & Staff Guide for Assisting Students
If you think that a student is in imminent danger of hurting him/herself or someone else, contact Campus Safety, x111.
Last Modified: Monday, April 20, 2009 14:41