Students in Distress Response Guide

Student would benefit from support. Involves concerns without risk of suicide or imminent danger.

A student may display the following.

• Demonstrates a sudden change in typical behavior.
• May have experienced a recent stressor.
• Experiencing grief or loss.
• Experiencing anxiety and/or panic attacks.
• Experiencing depression and/or sadness.
• Difficulty adjusting to life in college.
• Difficulties with decision-making.
• Lacking motivation or concentration.
• Sleeping in class.
• Struggling with self-esteem and/or self-confidence.
• Experiencing social pressures and/or conflicts.
• Under the influence of substances.

Student Support Steps

• Have a conversation with the student and share resources below.
  • Student Outreach and Support (SOS): 315.443.4357 (HELP), studentsupport@syr.edu
  • Barnes Center at The Arch Counseling: 315.443.8000.
• Document the behavior and conversation.
• Follow-up and encourage student use of offered resources.
• Staff, faculty and parent/supporter student support consultation services are offered by SOS and Barnes Center Counseling.

Student may stay safe but requires immediate support.

A student may display the following.

• Demonstrate bizarre behavior or speech.
• Erratic moods.
• Expressing thoughts of harming oneself or others.
• Disruptive to the learning environment.
• Experiencing self-harm.
• Under the influences
• Unprovoked aggressive behavior, anger or hostilities.

Student Support Steps

• Have a conversation with the student.
• Call Barnes Center at The Arch Counseling: 315.443.8000. You may be asked to walk the student over to the Barnes Center.
• Call Student Outreach and Support (SOS): 315.443.4357 (HELP), studentsupport@syr.edu
• Document the behavior and conversation.

Student is in immediate danger to self and others.

A student may display the following.

• Makes direct verbal or physical threats to harm oneself or others.
• Is exhibiting violent or overtly dangerous behavior.
• Psychosis (hallucinations or delusions).
• Alcohol/drug overdose.
• Seeing/hearing things that are not there.
• Is experiencing a medical emergency.
• Reports they are being or know of hazing.

Student Support Steps

Safety of student and/or others is an immediate concern!

Department of Public Safety

• Call 315.443.2224.
• Call #78 (#SU) using a cell phone.
• Call 711 from a campus landline phone.
• Utilize the Orange Safe mobile app.

If a student discloses an incident of sexual and relationship violence or a Title IX concern to a non-confidential resource faculty or staff member, it’s required that they immediately contact
Student Title IX, at titleix@syr.edu or 315.443.0211.

Complete the Bias Incident Reporting Form if a student witnesses or experiences a bias-related incident.

Please make a report to the Threat Assessment and Management Team (TAMT) if you are concerned about a non-emergency threat to the campus community, at 711@syr.edu or submit a Web Report Form that will be sent to the TAMT.

1. Safety First: Always keep safety in mind when interacting with a disruptive student. Maintain a safe distance and a route of escape should you need it. If danger to you, the student or others, seems imminent, call the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224, #78 (#SU) using a cell phone, 711 from a campus landline phone or you may utilize the Orange Safe mobile app.
2. Avoid Escalation: Distressed students may sometimes be easily provoked. Never embarrass a student in front of others. Being supportive but firm, approaching the situation calmly. Avoid threatening, humiliating or intimidating responses. When a student is distressed, it is best to avoid confrontation. You may want to ask the disruptive student to leave the class for that day. You may always remind the student of classroom expectations later when the situation has deescalated.

1. Faculty and Student Meeting: Outside of class time, the faculty member should meet with the student to review and discuss classroom behavior and expectations moving forward. The faculty member should send a recap email to the student reiterating what was discussed following the meeting.
2. Department Chair and Student Meeting: If behavior continues, the faculty member is to notify the department chair requesting they meet with the student. Again, this meeting should discuss what acceptable behavior is and what is not, in addition to classroom expectations moving forward. This meeting will notify the student that if the behavior continues, the next step is referral to the student conduct team, Community Standards. The department chair should send a recap email to the student reiterating what was discussed following the meeting.
3. Disruptive Classroom Behavior Continues: The faculty member or the department chair should make a referral to Community Standards by calling 315.443.3728. Or by visiting experience.syracuse.edu/community-standards and selecting “Report a Concern” and selecting the form that best fits the disruptive classroom behavior.

Consultation services are available through SOS and Barnes Center at The Arch

• Anytime you are not sure how to handle a situation or approach a student.
• The student keeps coming back and has not followed through with your referral.
• To obtain strategies or suggestions that you may be able to provide a student on your own.

Referral services are available through SOS and the Barnes Center at The Arch.

• When you are doing more “counseling” than the scope of your respective role.
• The problems or requests made are outside the scope of your role with the student.
• When you feel that the issue with which the student is dealing with could benefit from working with a mental health professional.