Guide for Faculty and Staff

Purpose

University of Rochester Counseling Center supports the academic mission of the college by providing services and programs that help students achieve their educational goals. Services are designed to improve skills and reduce the effects of emotional and interpersonal problems that interfere with learning. All full-time UR students are eligible for counseling services. These services address a wide range of student problems ranging from developmental concerns to more serious psychological difficulties.

Your Role as Faculty and Staff

You play a central role in student help-seeking efforts. First, you are often in a direct position to observe students and be aware of their behavior. Second, students frequently turn to informal help-givers like yourself for advice and support. Although you are not expected to provide counseling, it is helpful for you to understand the critical role you can play in:

• Preventing student problems
• Being familiar with the signs that indicate a student is in need of help
• Responding to student problems
• Understanding the steps in making appropriate referrals

About This Guide

The purpose of this guide is to assist you and others in the campus community in your efforts to respond to distressed or distressing students by providing the following information about:

• Student problems
• The important role you play in responding to student problems
• How to respond to student problems
• Appropriate resources on campus that assist students with problems
• How to make referrals to appropriate individuals or departments

Table of Contents

• Typical Concerns for UR Students
• What You Should Know About Student Problems
• Symptoms of Distressed or Distressing Students
• Responding to Distressed or Distressing Students
• Making a Referral to the UR Counseling Center
• Responding to Student Emergencies
• The UR Counseling Center
• Information About Confidentiality
• Mandated Risk Assessment
• Other Campus Referral Sources
• Academic Faculty: Classroom Climate and Prevention
• Responding After a Tragedy: An In-The-Classroom Guide

Addendum

• The Grieving Student
• The Anxious/Shy Student
• The Student Who May Have an Eating Disorder
• The Demanding Student
• The Dependent/Passive Student
• The Depressed Student
• The Student in Poor Contact with Reality
• The Student Suspected of Substance Abuse or Addiction
• The Victim of Stalking
• The Victim of an Abusive Dating Relationship
• The Victim of a Hate Incident
• The Victim of Hazing
• The Student Who Has Been Sexually Harassed (Assaulted)
• The Suicidal Student
• The Suspicious Student
• The Verbally Aggressive Student
• The Violent Student
• The Absent/Disappeared From Class Student
• Responding to Students with Transition Issues
• Responding to the Student with Choice of Major or Career Concerns

References / Credits

References

DiPietro, Michele. “The Day After: Faculty Behavior in Post 9/11 Classes.” (2003) http://www.podnetwork.org/resources/pdf/The_Day_After.pdf 2 Feb. 2007.

Huston, Therese A., and Michele DiPietro. “In the Eye of the Storm: Students’ Perception of Helpful Faculty Actions Following a Collective Tragedy.” To Improve the Academy 21 (2007): 206-224.

Kardia, Diana, Crisca Bierwert, Constance E. Cook, A.T. Miller and Matthew Kaplan. “Discussing the Unfathomable: Classroom-Based Responses to Tragedy.” Change 34.1 (2002): 19-22.

Miller, Katherine. “The Experience of Emotion on the Workplace.” Management Communication Quarterly 15.4 (2002): 571-600.

Pavela, Gary. “Memorandum to the Faculty: Teaching Troubled Students After Virginia Tech.” Spectrum Nov. (2007): 4-9.

Siegel, Dorothy. Campuses Respond to Violent Tragedy. Phoenix, AZ: Oryz Press, 1994.

Credits

Special thanks to Dr & Mrs. Jeffery Wisch for their gift designated for funding a 3 tiered program aimed at promoting the success and supporting the needs of students with mental illness.

Some information in this guide was adapted (with permission) from similar information used at Northwestern Business College, Ball State University, University of Virginia, Carthage College, University of St. Thomas..