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Faculty Who Dare to Care

As a faculty member, you are in a unique position to foster a caring community and help students who are experiencing mental health struggles. This page is home to a number of valuable resources specifically created for Seton Hall staff.

Students in conversation

Watch, Learn, Do.

Not sure how to respond to a student in distress? These videos give a quick look at how to respond in a variety of situations.

What to do when...

Refer to these flow charts for help when deciding who to call when you're concerned for a student.

DOES THE STUDENT NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE?

YES

The student' conduct is clearly reckless, disorderly, dangerous or threatening and suggestive of immediate harm to self or others in the community

 

Call 911 or Public Safety at (973) 761-9300

 

Report the concern to the Behavioral Intervention Team email BIT@shu.edu

NOT SURE

Indicators of distress are observed but severity is unclear. Interaction has left you feeling uneasy or concerned about the student.

 

To speak with someone for consultation during business hours, call CAPS at (973) 761-5000. After business hours, call Public Safety at (973) 761-9300 to be connected to the Dean of Students on call.

NO

I'm not concerned for the student's immediate safety but they are having significant academic and/or personal issues and could use some support.

 

Refer the student to the appropriate campus resource from the Quick Reference Guide for Helping Students
Learn More

Syllabus Statements

Adding a simple statement to your syllabus is a great way to let your students know that you care about their well-being and share valuable resources with them. Here are two examples shared through the Education Advisory Board (EAB) and adapted for your use. Please feel free to copy and paste these directly into your syllabus:

If you find yourself struggling with your physical or mental health this semester, please feel free to approach me. I try to be flexible and accommodating. You may also contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which provides confidential services at no cost to Seton Hall students. Call (973) 761-9500 or visit their website for more information.

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning. These might include strained relationships, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, or loss of motivation. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can help with these and other issues you may experience. Help is always available. You can learn about free, confidential mental health services available to you by calling (973) 761-9500 or visiting their website.

 

 
three students at a tablet

FREQUENTLY USED RESOURCES AND NUMBERS

Academic Resource Center (ARC) (973) 761-9108
Campus Ministry (973) 761-9545
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) (973) 761-9500
Dean of Students Office (973) 761-9076
Disability Support Services (DSS) (973) 761-6003
Health Services (973) 761-9175
Public Safety (973) 761-9300

Ways to build resiliency in students

3 THINGS YOU CAN SAY:

  • "It's normal for some things to feel difficult or challenging."
  • "What can you learn from this?"
  • "There are people on campus to help: professor's office hours, ARC, CAPS."

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO:

  • Model learning from mistakes.
  • Celebrate student progress, not just success.
  • Learn how to respond to a student in distress.

Responding to a student in distress

These are some action steps you can take to effectively and helpfully communicate with a distressed student. Each step has a script you can follow.

Say What You See

"Hi ____. I just wanted to check in. I've noticed ____ and wanted to see if you wanted to talk about it."

Show You Care

"I care about your well-being, so I just wanted to check in on you to see how you're doing. I want to know how I can be the most helpful to you.

Hear Them Out

"That sounds hard, how is that affecting your life?"

Know Your Role

"I'm sorry you're going through this, and honored that you've been vulnerable with me..."

Connect Them to Help

"Reaching out to ____ for the first time can be a little confusting. Would you like help connecting to ____?"

students walking

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Visit the Seton Hall Suicide Prevention website for additional resources.

Suicide Prevention Resources