Active Shooter

Since the tragic events at Virginia Tech and other schools and universities, many people have asked what they should do in the event of an incident. These situations are unpredictable. However, there are a few steps that can be taken immediately to protect oneself.

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Alcohol and other drug use misuse is a serious public health problem. High-risk substance use is associated with poor attrition rates, academic failure, mental health issues and interpersonal violence. It is a serious problem, but one that can be prevented!

Discrimination

Discrimination is unfair or prejudicial treatment based on characteristics such as race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, criminal convictions, domestic violence victim status, and veteran or military status and all other protected classes. 

Disruptive Behaviors

Student behavior  that interferes with academic (eg. impedes classroom management) or administrative activities and may threaten or endanger the physical and psychological health, safety, or welfare of the student or others.  Some non-threatening disruptive classroom and workplace behaviors can be managed by setting good ground rules.

Emotional Distress

Students experience emotional distress in a myriad of ways and due to a number of sources (family, financial, academic, interpersonal, and social difficulties). While many students will cope successfully with stress, for some, these difficulties can become unmanageable and require added resources and support to be successful. Stress that is not addressed can lead to significant academic, psychological, and even physical risk.

Food and Housing Insecurity

Food and housing insecurity impacts students on our campus. Local campus data as well as national studies have shown that food and housing insecurity issues are both prevalent among and highly impactful on the well-being and success of students. Students who don’t have enough to eat or a stable place to live can have lower grades and even a lesser likelihood of degree completion.

Managing Challenging Classroom Situations

Engaged students and spirited classroom discourse are the cornerstones of active learning. However, interactions must be respectful to others and shouldn’t interfere with classroom decorum. Disruptive classroom behaviors can become recurrent if not addressed early on, impeding the instructor’s ability to teach and other students’ ability to learn.

Medical Emergency

This health crisis may result from a worsening of a pre-existing medical condition, catastrophic onset of illness, accident, physical attack causing bodily harm, consequence of an infectious disease, substance abuse or overdose, exposure to a hazardous substance, severe reaction to an allergen or other causes not immediately apparent. 

Missing Student

It may be difficult to distinguish between a student who simply is not following attendance guidelines for class and work and those who are truly missing. When you are concerned about a student’s whereabouts and have not been able to get in touch with them, we prefer that you share your concerns as soon as possible.

Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the survivor’s fault. The aftermath can be devastating to the survivor both in and out of the classroom. It is less likely that you will witness an incident of sexual or relationship violence. 

Student Death

Student death can be emotionally difficult and stressful for all. Any student death irrespective of the cause (natural, suicide or accident) and location (on-or-off campus) has a significant impact on the community necessitating a coordinated response that includes several stakeholders (UPD, Academic dept., bursar, student organization, campus residence, counseling services etc.).

Suicide Crisis

Suicidal crisis most often occurs when life stressors and mental health issues converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair. Untreated conditions like depression, anxiety and substance abuse problems increase risk for suicide. A suicidal person may see suicide as the only solution to a set of overwhelming feelings or unbearable circumstances.