Students

Assisting Students in Distress or of Concern

If you interact with students on a daily or regular basis, you may notice behaviors that raise questions about a student’s well-being and/or the safety of the student or others. Below are some signs or behaviors that may indicate some need for assistance and intervention:

Displaying emotions that are:
  • inappropriate for the situation or are more exaggerated or erratic than normal (e.g., extremely withdrawn or animated, agitated)
  • aggressive (e.g., resentful, irritable, abrasive, hostile, frustrated)
  • sad/depressed (e.g., tearful, hypersensitive, full of despair, worthlessness, hopelessness)
Displaying behaviors that:
  • are aggressive (e.g., threatening others, discussing previous violent actions, acting out, damaging property, disruptiveness, poor impulse control)
  • suggest a student may be sad, depressed or possibly suicidal (e.g., excessive weight loss or weight gain, withdrawn or reclusive, giving away prized possessions, difficulty sleeping, listless, no energy, talk of death or dying, physically harming self)
  • suggest a student may not be able to take care of him/herself (e.g., decline in personal hygiene, inability to make decisions despite receiving help, disjointed thoughts and impaired speech, losing touch with reality, seeing/hearing things that aren't there, substance impaired)
Communicating (either in writing or verbally) that:
  • indicates preoccupation with death, weapons, or even a romantic or religious obsession
  • suggests overt thoughts of suicide or implicitly suggests suicide such as discussing "going away" or “not being around anymore”
  • indicates being under an unusual amount of stress
Changing academic performance such as:
  • declining grades or uncharacteristically poor performance
  • repeated requests for extensions or special considerations
  • unusual classroom interactions, e.g. argumentative
  • excessive absence or tardiness
Interpersonal concerns such as:
  • being overly dependent on you for help with personal problems
  • making excessive use of office hours
  • avoiding interactions with faculty
  • social isolation
  • complaints from other students
  
IMMINENT HARM TO
SELF OR OTHERS:

CALL RUSVM SECURITY AT 869-465-6161

Then follow-up with a call to Keith Kramer at
869-465-4161 ext. 1198 

Student CARE Team

 

The Student CARE Team was formed to:

Address reports of troubling (inappropriate, disruptive, or harmful) patterns of student behavior

Recommend proactive and non-punitive approaches to help students obtain resources which may enable them to remain focused on health and achieving success

Minimize negative impacts on the student’s overall academic experience

Identify students who may pose a threat of harm to self or others

The Student Care Team meets regularly throughout the semester, and with special invocation when necessary, to review students of concern. The Team identifies, assesses, and monitors high risk student behaviors.

The Student Care Team is RUSVM’s central place to report students with behaviors of concern. If you are concerned about a student’s behavior, please contact Keith Kramer at 465-4161 ext.1198

How You Can Help:

Sometimes it may be unclear how best to help a student. In these situations, it is often helpful to consult about possible solutions so that the student can obtain support.

  • Consult with colleagues or a campus resource (counseling office, dean’s office, Student Care Team) to think through your plans.
  • Call the counseling office to discuss your concerns and how you can talk about your concerns with the student during your meeting
If you feel comfortable doing so, invite the student to meet with you for a conversation.
  • Meet in a quiet and secure place if possible.
  • Listen attentively and respond in a straightforward and considerate way.
  • State specifically what behaviors you have observed and why you are concerned about the student.
  • Outline your goals and (if appropriate) ask the student to outline his/her goals for the meeting.
  • Work to understand what is causing distress for the student.
  • Acknowledge his/her feelings and let the student know you want to help him/her resolve the problem.
  • Be non-judgmental and caring.
  • Listen carefully.
  • Paraphrase what the student is telling you, so you can be sure you understand the situation.
  • Avoid aggressive or dominating body language and keep your voice slow and calm to try and keep the student relaxed.
  • Encourage the student to seek support and assistance from family, friends and others as appropriate, and perhaps to contact the Counseling Center (be sure to give the student the information to do so).
  • Help set up initial meetings for the student with the Counseling Center or other appropriate campus resources.
  • Appropriately seeking help is a sign of strength and not weakness: “We all need help on occasion.”
IF THE STUDENT IS IN CRISIS (AT RISK TO HARM SELF OR OTHERS):
  • Call RUSVM Safety and Security at 465-6161
  • Contact the counseling office at 465-4161 ext. 1500

IF THE STUDENT IS NOT AT RISK TO HARM SELF OR OTHERS:

Suggest in a caring manner that he/she may benefit from a meeting with a counselor. Consider walking the student to the counseling office (room 12-17). Please call first to ensure that counseling staff is available to meet with the student, if you are planning to walk over with the student.

  • Counseling does not impact or influence academic records.
  • Counseling sessions are free.
  • Counseling is confidential.
Follow-up

After discussing the problem with the student, you might need to pursue further action if the behaviors of concern persist.

  • If the situation seems more imminently problematic (i.e., you are concerned about the student’s or your own immediate safety), contact RUSVM Safety and Security at 869-465-6161 ext. 1113
  • Involve a colleague or the Dean’s office to get a new perspective on the situation.
  • Report your concerns to the Student Care Team by calling Keith Kramer at 869-465-6161 ext. 1198.