When to intervene
So when do you know to refer the student to a higher authority?
Bill Adriance
When the student has a behaviour which is not consistent with the school policy.
When the students issues are beyond your training. If the issue is depression, suicide or other mental health issues, a professional is ideal. As the instructor, that the student trusts and approaches with the issue, I meet with the school counselor first then introduce them to the student.
If you have exhausted all of your possibilities or the student's problem is beyond your help, then you must move on to the next level.
This question doesn't have an easy answer. There are so many variables: the skills of the referring individual, the school's support system, institutional expectations. This is a good topic for training and development.
Does you institution offer guidance?
Nothing official, other than if you have a behavior problem you can't handle, send them to the dean. So I asked, where is the threashold, the tipping point. No official policy.
Identifying the tipping point certainly seems like a worthwhile action - perhaps something the faculty can work on collectively.
I disagree. The tipping point will be unique for each student, each situation. Faculty needs to be empowered to make decisions based on the sucess of the student, and the institution needs to back up the decisions of those they hire, or re-examine their hiring practices.
I agree that each situation will have unique characteristics. I also agree that each faculty member should be empowered to make decisions.
My suggestion about engaging the faculty collectively is to develop some guidelines about what issues are appropriate for a faculty member to handle and which ones should be referred to people trained to provide counseling. There is a fine - but clear - line between advising and counseling.
I agree that when a student's issue is way beyond your scope (mental illness, suicide, domestic abuse), it's time to refer them to a higher authority.
When you've exhausted what you can do as an instructor, or when you recognize that the issue is beyond your capability, or span of control. We should have policies that define what is in, and what is not in scope for the instructor to manage.
At what point would an external intervention be deemed to invasive on the student's privacy? If they haven't come to staff or opened up about the issue affecting them, would staff be out of line to suggest help or call in an expert?
If your institution doesn't have such a policy, how will one be developed? Whose responsibility is it?
Interaction with a student based on observation of behavior isn't an invasion of privacy, but what evolves should be based on the student's needs and receptivity. Generally, students are pretty clear about whether they would like support.
Hopefully, your institution has a clearly stated policy about how it will react to certain student actions that threaten the health/safety of themselves or others. This policy should identify the circumstances that could result in the institution seeking appropriate professional help.
I could understand if the student is exhibiting something to raise the interest, then that may not be a privacy issue. However, if a student has brought something to our attention that another student has mentioned in confidence, should we consider giving any resources to the student who has spoken up to pass on, or meet with the student of concern directly?
Situations where one student is reporting about another is difficult. How much credence can you give the report? Is the other student in peril? Can you mention the referring student by name if you speak with the troubled student?
Generally, I suggest that the staff member remind the reporting student about the privacy rights of others and then try to provide information about resources on campus. If you believe the report has merit, you may be able to indirectly approach the troubled student and do some gentle probing to determine the situation and level of receptivity for help.
If the reported problem seems to represent a danger to the student or others, all bets are off. You are then in a position that requires a response and probably should be referred to the appropriate personnel.
This is a question that doesn't have a cut and dry answer. You can only make this judgement on a case-by-case basis. When you offer the student support, whether it be educational, emotional, or otherwise, and that student exhibits no signs of improvement or willingness to better their specific situation, that is when involving a higher authority may seem appropriate.
I think intervention should be done throughout the course as a way of checking in with the students.
When the Instructor or success coordinator is unsure of their response or decision.
Does the instructor or success coordinator have any responsibility to follow up?
