Subject: Letter from Vice President Nadler and Provost Lord

Fall 2015

Dear Faculty and Staff:

As we greet a new academic year, we will see our students cope with a variety of life changes. While many of our students will successfully navigate these changes, some may need additional assistance or support. 

Behavior that is inconsistent with past experience may constitute a need for help.  Warning signs that a student is in distress include:  nervousness, increased irritability or undue abrasive behavior, poorly-prepared work, change in attendance patterns, marked change in personal hygiene, and/or excessive social isolation with alarming behavior. If you identify these or other unusual signals in a student, we offer these guidelines in helping your students:

• Listen to the student. Request to talk with the student and listen carefully to the student.  While you should respect the student’s privacy, you should also consider your comfort level and personal safety.  If you choose to meet with a student in your office, you may consider asking another instructor to join you.

• Do not ignore unusual and/or inappropriate behavior. Share specific concerns about behavior with the student. The student should be informed that such behavior is distracting and inappropriate.  Address concerns as quickly as possible; do not wait for behaviors to escalate.

• Understand your role. Make careful observations about concerning behaviors, address those behaviors, and make an appropriate referral.  Write detailed notes about the student’s behavior and your concerns.  These notes can be extremely helpful when a student needs to be referred to another department for assistance. 

• Refer to the Counseling Center. If you believe that the student might benefit from professional counseling, refer the student to the Counseling Center (581-3413). In an emergency during normal business hours, you may contact the Counseling Center receptionist and request to speak to the staff member on call. Clearly identify yourself to the receptionist as a faculty or staff member and explain the specific services you are requesting.

• Additional resources. Other offices which may be of help in providing support to staff and students in such situations are: Health Services (Administrative Line: 581-7015) and Student Standards (581-3827).

• After hours help.  If you encounter an emergency situation after business hours, you may reach a local crisis counselor by calling 1-866-567-2400.  As always, University Police may be reached for assistance by dialing 911 or activating a blue emergency phone.

Students who struggle and exhibit changes in their behavior also often benefit from academic support as well as psychological, medical, or disciplinary help. The Student Success Center (located in 9th Street Hall—581-6696—and online http://www.eiu.edu/~success) provides academic support services and serves as a coordinating clearinghouse for the comprehensive array of academic support services available throughout the University community. Referrals can be made online, by phone, or in person.  Faculty members are encouraged to inform their department chair of such concerns and action plans.

Thanks to a state-level grant that the Illinois Department of Public Health has received from the federal government for the 2015-2016 academic year, EIU’s students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to complete a set of online, interactive training simulations that focus on best practices in supporting (1) students who struggle with psychological distress including depression and suicidal ideation, (2) LGBTQ students who are struggling due to harassment or exclusion, and (3) student veterans who are facing challenges in adjusting to college life.  Each training simulation takes 30-60 minutes to complete and is structured as a virtual practice environment where users learn by engaging in interactive role-play conversations with emotionally responsive student avatars.  Instructions and links to the training can be found at http://www.eiu.edu/herc/kognito.php.  We would like to encourage you to consider participating in this development opportunity.

If you are concerned about a student and unsure about what action to take, do not hesitate to call the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (581-3221). Timely reporting of concerns is extremely helpful.  Some helpful information can also be found at the Counseling Center's website http://www.eiu.edu/~counsctr and the Student Standards website http://www.eiu.edu/~judicial.  A resource entitled “Assisting Students in Distress” is available at http://www.eiu.edu/counsctr/Distressed%20Student%20Handbook.pdf.

We hope you find this information helpful.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Sincerely,

Daniel P. Nadler, Ph.D.                  
Vice President for Student Affairs
     and Professor

Blair M. Lord, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
     and Provost