Teaching the Whole Student
From time to time it is likely that faculty and staff will come into contact with a student they are concerned for or who they feel are demonstrating concerning behaviors. All students go through a time of adjustment when they begin college; it is normal for students to experience anxiety or sadness to some degree in their time at college, as they try to figure out how and where they fit. Concern should come when the distress to the student is in excess of what would be expected or if there is significant impairment in social or educational functioning.
Faculty and staff are not expected to diagnose a student’s situation, but are asked to recognize when a student is in trouble and to connect them to appropriate resources. Faculty and staff may need to call 911 or campus police if a student is a threat to himself or others, or may just need to provide redirection or a private meeting if a student is being disruptive in class. A SHARE referral should be made when staff has a concern about a student’s well-being, such as mental health concerns or unmet needs such as housing or food scarcity. If there are concerns regarding a student’s academics, a flag in Momentum should be raised. Resources such as the Title IX Coordinator (for gender- or sex-based violence or discrimination) and the Counseling Center should be utilized to help support students and provide additional referrals as needed.
Supporting Students in Any Modality
In order to help in your support to students, below are some resources to keep in mind:
- Campus Police is a 24/7 resource at 610-861-1421. Student Life and Counseling Center staff also serve in a 24/7 on-call capacity to respond to after-hours emergency or crisis situations. However, depending on the location of the student in crisis, Campus Police may assist in involving the appropriate crisis response line in that student’s jurisdiction.
- If you have a concern about student that you are engaging through a virtual environment, calling Campus Police will rarely be necessary unless there is an immediate threat to the student or others. This would likely be a direct threat and would actually need the police in the student’s jurisdiction to get involved. Therefore, if you are concerned about a student who is off campus, please call 911 and then follow up by submitting a SHARE form to communicate the action taken.
- Mo’s Cupboard is accessible daily from 11 am - 1 pm and all student ID cards will provide access. Additionally, students, including those who are not physically on campus, can email moscupboard@moravian.edu if there are additional ways the University can support them.
- The Counseling Center is open. Staff are in the office and available for in person sessions; however, they have the capacity to work remotely if needed. For more information or to make an appointment, students can call (610-861-1510) or email counselingcenter@moravian.edu. In a crisis or emergency, please contact Campus Police (if on campus) or call 911. Students are also encouraged to follow the Counseling Center on Facebook () or Instagram () and sign up for their announcement emails by sending a request to counselingcenter@moravian.edu.
- SHARE receives and responds to reports on a regular schedule. Reports can be submitted using . Please remember that the SHARE team is not an emergency response team. Call 911 and/or Campus Police if you believe a student may pose an immediate threat to themselves or others.