Student Safety Concerns
Are you concernced about a student?
I need immediate help:
颁补濒濒听Public Safety聽at 802.654.2911
麻豆视频 Michael鈥檚 is known for caring well for our students. Caring well means making an effort to get to know our students, supporting them in their successes and disappointments, challenging them to stretch beyond their comfort zone to grow and flourish into adulthood.
We notice our students, and with that, we notice when our students are struggling.聽 If you are concerned about a student, please let the resources on this page reassure you and guide your response.
What behavior could I see?
Often we just know when something doesn鈥檛 seem right. Our concern can be traced to a gut reaction. In order to pinpoint that concern, here are a few ways to articulate your specific concern(s) to others.
Academic indicators
Decline in the quality of work
Repeated absences
Disturbing content in work
Continuous classroom disruptions
Safety Risk Indicators
Unprovoked anger or hostility
Making implied or direct threats to harm self and/or others
Academic assignments dominated by themes of rage, extreme hostility, hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, acting out, suicide, or other violence
Psychological Indicators
Self-disclosure of personal distress that could include family problems, financial problems, depression, grief, or thoughts of suicide
Excessive tearfulness, panicked reactions, irritability or unusual apathy
Verbal abuse
Expressions of concern about the student by their peers
Physical Indicators
Marked changes in physical appearance including hygiene, or weight loss/gain
Excessive fatigue/sleep disturbance
Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
Disoriented or 鈥渙ut of it鈥
What do I say?
Speaking with students is as hard and as easy as it sounds. If you鈥檙e feeling concerned about how to approach a student, here are a few helpful ideas:
Talking with a student when I am concerned about them
Speak聽to the student 1:1.
Ask open-ended questions聽like: 鈥渃an you tell me a bit about what is going on?鈥
Reflect聽their thoughts and feelings back to them: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e thinking that you don鈥檛 have what it takes to get through this.鈥 (thought) and 鈥淵ou鈥檙e feeling pretty frustrated.鈥 (feeling)
Provide empathy and validation: 鈥淚鈥檝e been there too.鈥澛 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay that you are having a hard time.聽 This is hard material.鈥
Highlight strengths and successes:聽鈥淵ou鈥檝e made it through hard times before, and I know you can make it through this too.鈥澛 鈥淵ou can do this.鈥
Helping a student get to counseling or academic enrichment
Start聽with their thoughts and experiences: 鈥淗ave you ever thought about counseling/academic supports before?鈥
Normalize聽the counseling/academic support experience: 鈥淎 lot of students find it helpful to talk to a counselor/academic support person when they鈥檙e having these kinds of things going on.鈥
Explore their reluctance: 鈥淲hat has gotten in the way of you getting help?鈥澛 鈥淲hat would keep you from talking to a counselor/academic support person about these things?鈥澛 鈥淐ould it be worth taking that step even though it is difficult?鈥
Provide hope and support:聽鈥淎 lot of students use the services at Bergeron/Academic Enrichment Commons and find it helpful.鈥澛 聽鈥淚 think counseling/academic support might be really beneficial to you at this time.鈥澛 鈥淚f you鈥檇 like, I can help you make the call/get online/go to the office to schedule an appointment.
A few other helpful notes
Be proactive: notice signs of distress, engage students early on, reach out, set limits on disruptive behavior.
Be direct: ask students directly and 1:1 if they are struggling, are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs in your class, are feeling confused and overwhelmed, or are having thoughts of harming themselves or others.
Listen sensitively and carefully: distressed students need to be heard and helped, and it might be hard for them to articulate their real concerns and feelings. Ask open-ended questions and offer words that convey hope and your desire to help.
Offer support and avoid escalation: distressed students may be sensitive to criticism and/or easily provoked. Be non-confrontational and calm.聽 Avoid being threatening, humiliating, or intimidating.
Follow through:聽 Direct the student to the physical location of the resource you have referred them to and then follow up to see if they were able to connect there.聽 If it makes sense, call ahead or walk them there.
Consultation and documentation:聽Document your interactions with distressed students and follow up with your department chair/area director after any incident.
Safety first: the safety of the campus community is the top priority when a student is displaying threatening or violent behavior.聽 Do not hesitate to call for help.聽聽
FERPA and HIPPA
How do FERPA and HIPPA fit in?
Neither FERPA nor HIPPA prohibits the disclosure of behavioral observations of students in the classroom. Both FERPA and HIPPA allows faculty and staff the discretion to consult with appropriate members of the 麻豆视频 Michael鈥檚 community when in need of perspective, suggestions, resources, referrals or assistance. FERPA allows this sharing as part of an 鈥渆ducational need to know.鈥 HIPPA allows the sharing of information from non-confidential resources to confidential resources.
Resources
We believe there is much we can do individually.聽 Noticing a student, caring for a student, simply showing concern through empathetic questions alleviates a lot of loneliness, anxiety, and stress. Sometimes a caring conversation or email is all that is needed.聽 But if you鈥檝e tried these avenues and the situation still seems amiss, or if you are concerned about a student鈥檚 health, safety, or even retention, there are other resources here to help our students:
On-Campus Resources
24/7
Switchboard: 802-654-2000
Assistant Dean on Duty: Call Switchboard at 802-654-2000 ask for the AD on duty
Monday-Friday, daytime hours
Associate Dean of the College: 802-654-2347
Academic Enrichment Commons: 802-654-2262
*Bergeron Wellness Center: 802-654-2234*
Center for Multicultural Affairs and Services: 802-654-2663
*Edmundite Campus Ministry (clergy): 802.654.2333*
Public Safety: 802-654-2374
Residential Life: 802-654-2566
Title IX Coordinator: 802-654-2271
* confidential
Many of the above offices collaborate with regularly scheduled meetings to confer about students needing extra support, academically and otherwise. Know when you share your concerns, this group is notified to widen the support net for our students.
Local Resources
Emergency 911
Crisis Text Line: Text HELP to 741741
Online Resources
There are so many good resources to be found online to complement our on-campus work.
Bergeron Wellness Center has a number of mental health and wellness resources and tools. The full list can be found at聽/student-life/health-and-safety/bergeron-wellness-center/personal-counseling/resources/
There are also resources for students as they transition from high school to college.
College and Your Mental Health – Coming soon
Need help immediately?
If you need immediate help, or feel you or a student are in imminent danger, contact聽PUBLIC SAFETY聽at (802) 654-2911
When should I seek assistance?
- Violent Acts
- Weapons
- Bizarre Behaviors
- Thoughts of Suicide or Self-Harm
- Hate Crime & Hate Incidents
- Sexual Assault
- Extreme Distress
- Family/Domestic Problems
- Alcohol/Drug Abuse
- Whenever you wonder, “Should I…?”
Behaviors to Look Out for:
Below are just some of the behaviors to look out for.聽 Please use this list as a guide.
- A sudden change in behavior
- Extremely disruptive behavior
- Suicidal or self-destructive thoughts
- Any threats of violence
- A loss of contact with reality
- Disturbing social media postings, e-mails (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
Student After Hours Crisis Consultation
麻豆视频needing advice after hours, including weekends, during holidays or campus closures, call:
Crisis Text Line: Text HELP to 741741
What behavior could I see?
Often we just know when something doesn鈥檛 seem right. Our concern can be traced to a gut reaction. In order to pinpoint that concern, here are a few ways to articulate your specific concern(s) to others.
Academic indicators
Decline in the quality of work
Repeated absences
Disturbing content in work
Continuous classroom disruptions
Safety Risk Indicators
Unprovoked anger or hostility
Making implied or direct threats to harm self and/or others
Academic assignments dominated by themes of rage, extreme hostility, hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, acting out, suicide, or other violence
Psychological Indicators
Self-disclosure of personal distress that could include family problems, financial problems, depression, grief, or thoughts of suicide
Excessive tearfulness, panicked reactions, irritability or unusual apathy
Verbal abuse
Expressions of concern about the student by their peers
Physical Indicators
Marked changes in physical appearance including hygiene, or weight loss/gain
Excessive fatigue/sleep disturbance
Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
Disoriented or 鈥渙ut of it鈥
What do I say?
Speaking with students is as hard and as easy as it sounds. If you鈥檙e feeling concerned about how to approach a student, here are a few helpful ideas:
Talking with a student when I am concerned about them
Speak聽to the student 1:1.
Ask open-ended questions聽like: 鈥渃an you tell me a bit about what is going on?鈥
Reflect聽their thoughts and feelings back to them: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e thinking that you don鈥檛 have what it takes to get through this.鈥 (thought) and 鈥淵ou鈥檙e feeling pretty frustrated.鈥 (feeling)
Provide empathy and validation: 鈥淚鈥檝e been there too.鈥澛 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay that you are having a hard time.聽 This is hard material.鈥
Highlight strengths and successes:聽鈥淵ou鈥檝e made it through hard times before, and I know you can make it through this too.鈥澛 鈥淵ou can do this.鈥
Helping a student get to counseling or academic enrichment
Start聽with their thoughts and experiences: 鈥淗ave you ever thought about counseling/academic supports before?鈥
Normalize聽the counseling/academic support experience: 鈥淎 lot of students find it helpful to talk to a counselor/academic support person when they鈥檙e having these kinds of things going on.鈥
Explore their reluctance: 鈥淲hat has gotten in the way of you getting help?鈥澛 鈥淲hat would keep you from talking to a counselor/academic support person about these things?鈥澛 鈥淐ould it be worth taking that step even though it is difficult?鈥
Provide hope and support:聽鈥淎 lot of students use the services at Bergeron/Academic Enrichment Commons and find it helpful.鈥澛 聽鈥淚 think counseling/academic support might be really beneficial to you at this time.鈥澛 鈥淚f you鈥檇 like, I can help you make the call/get online/go to the office to schedule an appointment.
A few other helpful notes
Be proactive: notice signs of distress, engage students early on, reach out, set limits on disruptive behavior.
Be direct: ask students directly and 1:1 if they are struggling, are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs in your class, are feeling confused and overwhelmed, or are having thoughts of harming themselves or others.
Listen sensitively and carefully: distressed students need to be heard and helped, and it might be hard for them to articulate their real concerns and feelings. Ask open-ended questions and offer words that convey hope and your desire to help.
Offer support and avoid escalation: distressed students may be sensitive to criticism and/or easily provoked. Be non-confrontational and calm.聽 Avoid being threatening, humiliating, or intimidating.
Follow through:聽 Direct the student to the physical location of the resource you have referred them to and then follow up to see if they were able to connect there.聽 If it makes sense, call ahead or walk them there.
Consultation and documentation:聽Document your interactions with distressed students and follow up with your department chair/area director after any incident.
Safety first: the safety of the campus community is the top priority when a student is displaying threatening or violent behavior.聽 Do not hesitate to call for help.聽聽
FERPA and HIPPA
How do FERPA and HIPPA fit in?
Neither FERPA nor HIPPA prohibits the disclosure of behavioral observations of students in the classroom. Both FERPA and HIPPA allows faculty and staff the discretion to consult with appropriate members of the 麻豆视频 Michael鈥檚 community when in need of perspective, suggestions, resources, referrals or assistance. FERPA allows this sharing as part of an 鈥渆ducational need to know.鈥 HIPPA allows the sharing of information from non-confidential resources to confidential resources.
Resources
We believe there is much we can do individually.聽 Noticing a student, caring for a student, simply showing concern through empathetic questions alleviates a lot of loneliness, anxiety, and stress. Sometimes a caring conversation or email is all that is needed.聽 But if you鈥檝e tried these avenues and the situation still seems amiss, or if you are concerned about a student鈥檚 health, safety, or even retention, there are other resources here to help our students:
On-Campus Resources
24/7
Switchboard: 802-654-2000
Assistant Dean on Duty: Call Switchboard at 802-654-2000 ask for the AD on duty
Monday-Friday, daytime hours
Associate Dean of the College: 802-654-2347
Academic Enrichment Commons: 802-654-2262
*Bergeron Wellness Center: 802-654-2234*
Center for Multicultural Affairs and Services: 802-654-2663
*Edmundite Campus Ministry (clergy): 802.654.2333*
Public Safety: 802-654-2374
Residential Life: 802-654-2566
Title IX Coordinator: 802-654-2271
* confidential
Many of the above offices collaborate with regularly scheduled meetings to confer about students needing extra support, academically and otherwise. Know when you share your concerns, this group is notified to widen the support net for our students.
Local Resources
Emergency 911
Crisis Text Line: Text HELP to 741741
Online Resources
There are so many good resources to be found online to complement our on-campus work.
Bergeron Wellness Center has a number of mental health and wellness resources and tools. The full list can be found at聽/student-life/health-and-safety/bergeron-wellness-center/personal-counseling/resources/
There are also resources for students as they transition from high school to college.
College and Your Mental Health – Coming soon
Need help immediately?
If you need immediate help, or feel you or a student are in imminent danger, contact聽PUBLIC SAFETY聽at (802) 654-2911
When should I seek assistance?
- Violent Acts
- Weapons
- Bizarre Behaviors
- Thoughts of Suicide or Self-Harm
- Hate Crime & Hate Incidents
- Sexual Assault
- Extreme Distress
- Family/Domestic Problems
- Alcohol/Drug Abuse
- Whenever you wonder, “Should I…?”
Behaviors to Look Out for:
Below are just some of the behaviors to look out for.聽 Please use this list as a guide.
- A sudden change in behavior
- Extremely disruptive behavior
- Suicidal or self-destructive thoughts
- Any threats of violence
- A loss of contact with reality
- Disturbing social media postings, e-mails (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
Student After Hours Crisis Consultation
麻豆视频needing advice after hours, including weekends, during holidays or campus closures, call:
Crisis Text Line: Text HELP to 741741