As a faculty or staff member, you have a lot of contact with students.  A student may come to you to confide a sexual assault, or you may witness some troubling indicators that the student has experienced a significant trauma.

Some general indicators a student is having trouble coping with trauma include:

Academic Indicators

• Deterioration of quality work
• Drop in grades
• Negative change in classroom performance
• Missed assignments
• Repeated absences from class
• Continual seeking of special accommodations (late papers, extensions, postponed examination)

Relationship Indicators

• Direct statements indicating distress or other difficulties
• Unprovoked anger or hostility
• Exaggerated personality traits (more withdrawn or more animated than usual)
• Excessive dependency
• Expression of concern by his/her peers
• A hung or gut-level reaction that something is wrong

Physical Indicators

• Deterioration or lack of care in physical appearance
• Excessive fatigue
• Visible changes in weight
• Indications of substance abuse or chemical dependency

What Can You Do?

• Call the University Counseling Center for a consultation about the student. The staff will be happy to talk with you about any worries or concerns you may have.
• Discuss your concerns with the student. Talking about a problem or labeling a crisis doesn't make it worse. It is the first stop toward resolving it.
• Call the Dean of Students Office to make them aware of your concern. The Dean of Students can initiate a meeting to talk with the student about your concerns and ensure that the student is alright.

Check Out Additional Resources Here.