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For Students

SCU CARE

As students, you may know, hear, or see things that faculty and staff may not. With this perspective, it is important that you reach out to the Office of Student Life if you have concerns about a peer. Reference the information below for resources to help you identify and support someone in need.

 

How to Recognize Someone in Distress:

  • Significant deterioration in quality or quantity of work
  • Repeated absences
  • Missed assignments, exams, or appointments
  • Written or artistic expression of unusual violence, social isolation, despair or preoccupation with suicide or death
  • Repeated requests for special accommodations, e.g., paper extensions, make-up exams, etc.
  • Patterns of perfectionism. e.g., the inability to accept any grade but an A
  • Overblown or disproportionate response to grades or other evaluations
  • Direct statements indicating distress, family problems, or loss
  • Angry or hostile outbursts, yelling, or aggressive comments
  • Withdrawn from others, low motivation
  • Excessively demanding or dependent behavior
  • Failure to respond to outreach by friends, family, or administrators after expressed concern
  • Shakiness, tremors, fidgeting, or pacing
  • More animated than usual, euphoria, overly enthusiastic
  • Paranoid, excessively vigilant, fear that others are going to cause harm
  • Extreme disorganization or erratic performance
  • Deterioration in physical appearance or personal hygiene
  • Excessive fatigue, exhaustion, falling asleep in class
  • Visible changes in weight, statements about change in appetite or sleep
  • Noticeable cuts, bruises, or burns
  • Frequent or chronic illness
  • Disorganized, rapid or slurred speech, confusion
  • Unusual inability to make eye contact
  • Coming to activities bleary or red-eyed or smelling of alcohol or marijuana


How to Help Someone in Distress:

When in doubt, let someone know that you're worried about your peer. If someone you know may be struggling with personal, emotional, or academic difficulties, the most direct way to get them support is to submit an online Student of Concern Referral Form. Upon retrieval, a member of the Office of Student Life will then reach out to the student to offer support and resources. Reports can be made anonymously.

If you're aware of a specific issue that you think is important for the Office of Student Life to be aware of, please submit the appropriate reporting form listed on this page.

For more immediate concerns, please reference the contact listing below:

If a Student . . .

Contact . . .

is in possession of a weapon

Campus Safety at 408-554-4444 or 911

is an imminent harm to self or others

Campus Safety at 408-554-4444 or 911

is a potential harm to self or others

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501 and Office of Student Life at 408-554-4583

is a victim of recent violence, abuse, or sexual violence

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501 or Wellness Center at 408-554-4409 or Title IX at 408-551-3043

has been a victim of past violence or abuse

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501 or Wellness Center at 408-554-4409 or Title IX at 408-551-3043

is experiencing psychological distress impairing the ability to learn effectively

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501

is verbally or emotionally abusive

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501 or Office of Student Life at 408-554-4583

is engaging in conduct contrary to that in the Student Handbook

Office of Student Life at 408-554-4583

has engaged in academic dishonesty

Office of Student Life at 408-554-4583

is having difficulty managing academic load or stress

Drahmann Center at 408-554-4318

is experiencing family or personal crisis or loss and needs to miss classes

Office of Student Life at 408-554-4583

is suspected of alcohol or drug use interfering with academic effectiveness

Cowell Center at 408-554-4501 or Wellness Center at 408-554-4409

is having financial difficulties

Financial Aid at 408-551-1000

is a victim of bias, harassment, or discrimination

Office of Student Life at 4583 and Title IX at 408-551-3043 

 

Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized training program that teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health concerns and substance use. The training provides the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support while helping to identify other longer-term solutions if needed. 

Mental Health First Aid trainings are FREE for all faculty, staff, and students and come with a 3-year certification.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer; the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. People trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. The QPR Institute mission is to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. Quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.

To become a “QPR Gatekeeper” you will need to attend a training of approximately 90 minutes. QPR training is available to students, faculty and staff. Certification is valid for three years.

Future training sessions will be sent in upcoming Cowell Center newsletters. Should a department wish to offer a specific training session, please email cowellcenter@scu.edu.

Questions can be directed to cowellcenter@scu.edu

Facilitators Email
Ashleigh Pezzoni apezzoni@scu.edu
Ashley Harden aharden@scu.edu
Carol Cobb ccobb2@scu.edu
Chan Thai cthai@scu.edu
Cory Gong cgong@scu.edu
Heather Dumas-Dyer hdumasdyer@scu.edu
Jennifer Weller jmweller@scu.edu
Jenny Girard Malley jgirardmalley@scu.edu
Jessica Johns jljohns@scu.edu
Justin Filiaggi jfiliaggi@scu.edu
Krystle Jozen Dario kdario@scu.edu
Matthew Duncan mduncan@scu.edu
Meredith Lierk mlierk@scu.edu
Michah Lattanner mlattanner@scu.edu
Mythri Jegathesan mjegathesan@scu.edu
Raisa Velaquez Bonet rvelazquezbonet@scu.edu
Rami Mohamed rmohamed@scu.edu
William Troche wtroche@scu.edu
Zachary Davis zdavis@scu.edu
SCU CARE Resized logo - Promoting a Culture of CARE