The academic year is not complete and yet the Office of Residential & Commuter Life (RCL) has already received a record number of behavioral issues and students in crises.
The number of reported cases of behavioral issues and students in crises has risen continuously throughout the years. Behavioral issues may include substance abuse, eating disorders or destructive and violent behavior. Students in crises may be students struggling with a death in the family, financial difficulties, medical issues or family and relationship issues.
There were 138 cases in the 2009-10 academic year, 432 cases in the 2010-11 academic year, 427 cases in the 2011-12 academic year, 491 cases in the 2012-13 academic year and 507 cases so far in this current academic year.
Dean of Students Laurence Robertson said, “Every university and college is seeing the same increase, [though] maybe not to the degree that we are.” Robertson said.
Robertson is quick to mention, “I don’t want anyone to think that we’re seeing more and more students in crisis. I think people just know to contact us.”
By “us,” Robertson means the Care Team. The Care Team is composed of representatives from the Counseling Center, the Police Department, the Health & Wellness Center, Residential & Commuter Life, Disability Resources, the Dean of Students and one representative from each academic college.
With a total of 14 members, the Care Team meets weekly to discuss students of concern that are referred to them.
Robertson believed that the significant rise in cases for the Care Team this academic year is due to an awareness of their services, more awareness of the signs of a student in crisis and because “students are looking out for each other more.”
Students can be referred to the Care Team by students, parents, faculty and staff members, Residential Assistants (RAs), Residence Education Coordinators (RECs) and the Dean of Students Office.
Robertson said, “If you are wondering if a person is struggling and if you need to contact someone, I always say, ‘Trust your instincts.’ It is never a bad thing to contact us, and there are times that we follow up ... we determine that the student is fine.”
Robertson added, “The Care Team is not a group of people that are spying on students or attempting to find students who are in crisis. Our goal is to respond to concerns that we receive from parents, other students, faculty or staff. We develop strategies to help students struggling with minor and major situations.”
The Care Team may respond to referrals by offering advice on how to respond, having a team member or designee make contact with the student, make referrals to campus resources (e.g., the Counseling Center, the Learning Center), make reasonable accommodations (e.g., reduce course load and permit students to stay in residence with fewer than 12 credit hours) and more. Robertson said, “I like to think we are helping not only those who are facing a stressful situation, but we are also helping those who are worried about a friend.”
With the significant rise in cases, this results in a higher job demand within the Dean of Students Office. “There are two of us [in the Dean of Students Office], and it’s really hard,” Robertson said.
Due to the limited number of staff, there will be restructuring within RCL and Associate Director of Off-Campus Living Jennifer Cox joining the Dean of Students team.
Cox will assume the position of Director of Off-Campus Living for the Care Team and will assist with case management by assessing cases for off-campus students.
Robertson expects the rise in cases to continue, saying, “I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think this number of situations has always been out there. It’s just we didn’t know they were out there.”
“I want to think that we are seeing as big an increase in contacts because we are doing a good job. We are helping students succeed and manage their own issues more successfully,” Robertson said.
