As we move forward with another semester, we wanted to take the opportunity to remind our faculty and staff about the protocols for responding to students demonstrating concerning behavior. It is important that we, as a campus community, remain familiar with these guidelines.
Faculty and staff will soon be receiving a “red” folder via Campus Mail which includes information on how to recognize and help students of concern, including those who are disruptive in the classroom.
It is important to note that if you have immediate concerns regarding a student’s behavior, you should contact Public Safety by calling 911. When seeking direction and guidance in a non-emergency situation with a student, during University business hours, call the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management at (815) 753-1573 or the Counseling & Student Development Center at (815) 753-1206.
For non-emergency situations, you may also share your concerns by submitting a student of concern report found on the Community of Care website at http://www.niu.edu/care.
For any non-emergency concerns you have, do not hesitate to consult with colleagues, your supervisor, or other campus officials as the situation warrants. We encourage you to “Speak up! Get help! Just act!” when you are concerned about a student, which is the same message we are sending to students through our Bystander Education initiatives.
We would also like to note that NIU has established threat assessment teams pursuant to the Campus Security Enhancement Act of 2008.
Should you encounter behavior from students that is not only concerning, but potentially threatening, please contact Melanie Tucker at mthompson3@niu.edu or (815) 753-1573. If you have identified a faculty or staff member about whom you have concerns, please contact Deborah Haliczer at dhaliczer@niu.edu or (815) 753-6039. We are confident these teams will further enhance the many campus safety initiatives that are already in place. Thank you for your continued contributions to keeping our community safe.
