Faculty and Staff Concerned About A Student

Faculty and staff at SUNY Fredonia are involved in students' lives through a number of important roles that may include being an educator, advisor, mentor, and counselor. Faculty and staff are in a unique position to directly observe students on a regular basis and notice emotional, social, or behavioral troubles or concerns.

Often times, faculty/staff contact or refer students to the SUNY Fredonia Counseling Center (SFCC) based on written assignments or conversations in which a student shares emotional experiences or traumatic events. Students receiving counseling at the SFCC often say that such services enable them to better cope with the difficulties they face, and to remain in school and maximize their college experience.

If you are a member of the faculty or staff, you should know that your intervention in assisting students to seek psychological services is significant to a student's career and retention at SUNY Fredonia.

What To Watch Out For

The following is a list of indicators that may signify that a student is struggling in some way, and may need a referral to the SFCC:

• Recent Crisis
• Talk of Suicide
• Social Withdrawal
• Drop in Academic Grades/Performance
• Negative Changes in Physical Appearance
• Psychosomatic Complaints
• Bizarre Behavior
• Illogical/Unusual Thoughts
• Increased Irritability
• Alcohol or Other Substance Abuse

What To Do

If you are concerned about a student, you may contact the SFCC at (716) 673-3424 for a consultation, or you may refer the student to the SFCC directly: how to refer students.

The SFCC provides a 24-hour emergency service to the College. If a crisis arises during working hours, contact the SFCC directly. Outside of regularly scheduled working hours please contact University Police (673-3333). If your emergency requires medical attention, University Police should be notified immediately.

A Note About Confidentiality

There have been occasions when faculty/staff have referred a student to the SFCC and wanted some type of follow-up contact from the SFCC counselor in order to know that the student actually did come for an appointment. Counselors are bound by legal and ethical guidelines to maintain confidentiality. Thus, faculty and staff should be aware that the SFCC counselors cannot tell anyone that a student is coming for services.

Information can only be released with the written consent of the student, except in situations where a student poses a threat of serious harm to self or to others, or in the case of abuse/neglect of a minor, or in the case of a court-ordered release of information. An attempt will be made by the counseling center staff to get a release signed by the referred student so that notification and coordination of services will be possible.