Students of Concern

Before we discuss particular issues, it is critically important that you understand that the basic underlying issue in many cases is what the law tells us about basic rights. In this country, everyone has the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," which means that individual rights are held in high regard. This also means that the restraint of individual rights is taken very seriously and will only occur under extraordinary circumstances. To put it bluntly, everyone has the right to be as odd or different as they like, until they cross a point at which they may be considered by the law to be in imminent danger of harm to themselves or others. Imminent danger is seen as a transitory state, that is, it may come and go depending on circumstances.

The laws of the United States confer the status of "adult" on all people on their 18th birthday. By law, that means that anyone 18 years or older is entitled to all rights of citizenship (unless otherwise amended). This includes the ability to make contracts and to confidentiality of various services (medical, dental, mental health, etc.) or events (grades in college). Faculty and staff in a variety of areas are bound to maintain the confidentiality of information about college students by a variety of federal and state laws. In particular, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), restricts the university's ability to give information about students to anyone outside the university without the student's written consent. It should be noted that, per FERPA, medical records and mental health records (such as those maintained by UNO Counseling Services) are not part of a student’s academic record and a different level of confidentiality applies. In addition to federal law, state laws regarding confidentiality of records (La. R.S. 13:3734) limit the ability of licensed professionals in certain occupations (including mental health professions) from disclosing information to anyone both within and outside the university without the written consent of the client.

The following is a link to our resource guide that was specifically designed with UNO faculty and staff in mind. For requests for paper copies or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Counseling Services at 504-280-6683.

Faculty and Staff Resource Guide Document

The university provides resources for assisting distressed students or students who are of concern to faculty, staff, or other students. For example, this might include students who are missing assignments, having excessive absences, or exhibiting other academic related problems. For academic concerns such as these, faculty can utilize UNO Cares. Other examples of concerning behavior, such as acting out or acting inappropriately in a public situation, making threats of harm to self or others, etc. can be reported to the Department of Public Safety and Security (504-280-6666) and they will determine what steps may be necessary following the report. This might include options such as calling the student in to discuss the concerns and referring the student to other campus and/or community services.

The services offered by a university counseling center such as UNO Counseling Services are quite different from those available from school counselors in typical K-12 settings. Students in K-12 settings often are able to "drop-in" to speak to a school counselor "just to talk" or possibly to de-escalate when highly distressed. Additionally, school counselors may be asked to reach out to a student and/or pull a student from a classroom to address behavioral concerns or when school faculty/staff have specific concerns about a student. If the school counselor is concerned a student may have a mental health issue warranting clinical attention, the counselor will typically refer the student for clinical mental health assessment and related services.  Another notable difference between school counseling in a K-12 setting and clinical mental health services  in a university setting is that (most) university students are adults (as defined by law) who can consent to confidential mental health counseling. When a university student has mental health concerns, he/she can choose to seek services at a counseling center such as UNO Counseling Services. Unlike school counselors, Counseling Services staff cannot seek out (or directly solicit) students by inviting or encouraging them to seek mental health counseling. Additionally, faculty or staff may, at times, want to require (mandate) counseling because of concerns about a student’s mood or behavior, or as part of disciplinary sanctions. While this may be well-intentioned, if a student does not perceive a need for counseling and/or has no specific goals for counseling, it is unlikely that much can be accomplished by meeting with a counselor.

The laws of the State of Louisiana are absolutely clear about this. If you believe that anyone is in imminent danger of harm to self or others, you should immediately call the local police department where you know the student to be.  If they are on campus, you should call the UNO Campus Police (504-280-6666). If they are in another location, you can dial 911 and tell the operator which jurisdiction you are seeking – they will connect you. You must call a police agency because, in Louisiana, only police officers have the authority to detain someone, regardless of the reason for the detention. Mental health providers, health providers, and student life staff are not equipped or trained to take someone into protective custody. Failing to call the UNO Campus Police may mean that the help a student needs is delayed.  If a student is in imminent danger because of a medical condition (bleeding, ingestion of pills or other substances, seizure, etc.), even if you believe it is a suicide gesture or attempt, you must call UNO Campus Police on campus or 911 off-campus and ask for medical assistance. Medical issues take priority over any other issues.  If you have time after calling emergency services, contacting the Office of Student Accountability and Advocacy would also be helpful.

Counseling Services staff is able to provide consultations about concerns you may have about a student's behavior and to advise you about next steps you may take.  However, state laws and professional ethical standards prohibit licensed mental health professionals from "soliciting" clients, even when a third party may be making a credible report of concern.  In most cases, in addition to consulting with faculty and staff about their concerns, Counseling Services staff will refer callers to the Office of Student Accountability and Advocacy to report their concerns there as well.  The Office of Student Accountability and Advocacy is the office designated on campus to investigate concerns about students and has much latitude in its ability to approach and follow up with students.

Most of us likely believe that the college experience should include some kind of personal as well as academic growth. A few things regarding the demographics of UNO students are important to keep in mind this regard.

First of all, many of our UNO students don't fit the profile of "traditionally-aged" students in that the average age of our undergraduates is about 25 or 26 (vs. the late teens/early 20's). As such, many of our students come with significantly more life experience than traditionally-aged students. Also, some of our students come with a history of some type of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety and emotional, physical or sexual abuse. As a result, some course assignments, which may seem benign and/or important for personal growth, serve to bring up painful memories which might disorient students and make it harder for them to deal with the normal demands of college. 

Many professional organizations have added sections to their ethical standards which encourage instructors to think carefully about including assignments which force students to disclose personal information. Those standards may also require that, in addition to being noted in a syllabus, any course curricula that require self-disclosure be identified in the university catalog so potential students can have knowledge of that requirement before enrolling in a course. All academic disciplines are encouraged strongly to examine their curricula for required self-disclosures and discuss the nature and purpose of the requirements. Those that are not absolutely essential to the learning process should be considered for replacement. 

As a community, it is important not to make assumptions about an individual’s mental health that might be viewed as stigmatizing. If you witness unusual or concerning behavior in a student and are unsure about how to handle it, about whether you should report it to someone at the university, or how to get assistance for the student, you can consult with someone in UNO Counseling Services (504-280-6683) or in UNO’s Student Affairs (504-280-6620) for guidance.