As we enter midterms, we want to remind you of the resources available to support students through this stressful time of the semester. This guide shares Student Affairs resources for addressing student concerns, from early intervention to crisis situations.
If you’re worried about a student or notice a change in behavior, act with thoughtfulness and concern. If a student has not been attending your course, or you have other concerns, the first step would be to reach out to them directly to check in. Recognize, Respond, Refer offers training and resources for supporting student mental health, including email templates for reaching out to students.
If you do not hear back from a student after a week, and they have not re-engaged in the course, this would be a good time to fill out the Student of Concern Referral form. This allows enough time for staff from the Office of Student Assistance & Support to reach out to the student, check in with them, discuss academic options (like dropping a course), or connect them with other support resources. This also allows the student time to make decisions before critical academic deadlines elapse. Learn more about OSAS and the student of concern referral process.
If your concern is related to mental health, speak with a mental health professional at University Health Services (UHS). You can call during business hours and ask to speak to an available provider. You should also refer students to Mental Health Services or the UHS 24/7 Crisis Line. UHS is also available for consultation about how you can better prepare to support student mental health.
If you believe a student is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in need of immediate assistance, or if this is an emergency, please call the UW–Madison Police Department at 608-264-2677, the UHS 24/7 Crisis Line at 608-265-5600 (option 9), or dial 911.
Academic and nonacademic misconduct can occur inside and outside of the classroom. Resources through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS) will help you navigate the conduct process. If classroom behavior disrupts other students’ abilities to learn, please utilize the webpage “Navigating Classroom Dynamics & Disruptions.”
To support students with disabilities, contact the McBurney Disability Resource Center. Resources for captioning, interpreting, and accessible language are provided. McBurney Center also offers instructor resources to support the role in providing accomodations for students.
Regardless, if you don’t know where you go, have questions, and would like to talk through a situation, you can start with OSAS through drop-in: call 608-263-5700 during office hours or send an email to osas@studentaffairs.wisc.edu.
For comprehensive campus guides on supporting students, including how to talk to students you’re concerned about, addressing disruptive behavior, and verbal de-escalation techniques, visit UW–Madison faculty and staff resources page through OSAS.