Faculty & Staff Resources

Students experiencing personal, social or psychological concerns may exhibit the following behavior or symptoms:

• Isolation/withdrawal
• Tearfulness
• Anxiety
• Fatigue or inability to stay alert in class
• Difficulty communicating/relating with peers and/or authority figures
• Talk about concerns or conflicts with family members or significant others
• Difficulty managing anger
• Difficulty managing stress
• Depressed mood and/or changes in mood
• Significant changes in weight
• Poor self-care
• Clear or possible signs of substance abuse
• Incoherence, disorientation, or “out of touch” with reality
• Thoughts and/or plans about harming self or others

If you are concerned about a student for any reason, trust your instincts. Contact the Counseling and Wellness Center to discuss your concerns with a licensed professional counselor before talking to the student.

This step may not always be necessary or possible. However, it may be helpful to consult with a counselor prior to talking to the student if you have questions, if you are uncertain about to whom the referral should be made, or if you feel unsure about the best way to approach the student.

Please be aware of New York Tech resources for such situations and remember to act upon any concerns as soon as possible to best support our students. A variety of campus resources and trained professionals are available to assist you:

• Threatening, Irrational, or Criminal Behavior – Call Campus Security immediately to report any behavior that involves direct, indirect, or possible threats to anyone’s safety; this includes emotionally disturbed persons who are acting uncontrollably or irrationally, publicly disturbing or disruptive behavior, or criminal behavior/crimes in progress.

• Medical Emergencies – Contact Campus Security immediately. If a life-threatening condition exists, call 911 first, then notify Campus Security immediately.

• Disruptive, Disturbing Behavior or Student Code of Conduct Violations – Contact the Dean of Students to report your concerns and determine appropriate action. Send an e-mail detailing the incident to the Dean of Students. If a situation requires immediate attention, call the appropriate dean at the number below.

• Student Emotional Distress or Mental Health Concerns – Call or visit your campus Counseling and Wellness Center to consult with a licensed professional counselor and receive assistance with making a referral.

• Student Learning, Psychological or Physical Disability - Call or visit the Office of Accessibility Services to consult with a disability services professional and receive assistance with making a referral.

• Minor Illnesses or Injuries – Contact or send the student to the College of Osteopathic Medicine Academic Health Center (Long Island) Note: Health Services are not available on the New York City Campus.

• Academic-Related Concerns – New York Tech#39;s Early Alert Initiative lets faculty and staff provide feedback identifying students at risk for attrition. This proactive feedback allows the Advising and Enrichment Center advisors to take quick action in helping students continue their studies. Contact the Advising and Enrichment Center or log on to Engage Student Success to Issue an Alert.

• Meet at a time/place where the student will be assured confidentiality.
• Offer respectful, nonjudgmental concern. State your observations honestly and clearly, based on the facts.
• Be specific in the referral. Give the student the counselor’s name, phone number, and location. Please note: Do not encourage the student to contact a counselor via e-mail. Although e-mail is a common means of communication for students, it has significant limitations. The counseling staff cannot guarantee privacy of e-mail communications, confidentiality cannot be assumed, and we cannot guarantee when an e-mail message will be read. We cannot provide personal counseling or arrange appointments via e-mail.
• You may want to offer the student the opportunity to call for an appointment from your office, or to be accompanied to the counselor’s office.
• If the student is hesitant about the referral, listen for fears or concerns, and try to clarify and address any misconceptions. If the student refuses the referral “keep the door open” if possible (i.e. encourage the student to keep the counselor’s name and number in case he or she reconsiders). End the conversation on a positive note.
• If you are concerned that the student or any other person is in imminent danger, or if you think the student may be approaching or experiencing a psychological emergency or crisis, don’t leave the student alone. Contact the Counseling and Wellness Center to arrange for a licensed counselor to come to the student’s location. If you are unable to reach a counselor immediately, contact the Dean of Students. Campus Security may be notified to provide additional assistance if necessary.

If you wish to follow-up on the referral, make plans to do so with the student.

Confidentiality laws and ethical guidelines prohibit a professional counselor from disclosing information or identifying individuals who seek counseling. The counselor will not contact the referral source without written consent from the student. You may want to “check-in” with the student in a non-intrusive manner, following the referral, i.e., ask how he/she is doing. Some students may choose to inform you as to whether they followed through on the referral; others may not.