Supporting the whole student
Instructors often interact with students more than any other staff at the university, so they are positioned to offer support and assistance that is not strictly pedagogical. Moreover, recognizing ourselves and our students as "whole" individuals with needs and values beyond academics will help us sustain a community of committed and connected learners. This support can take many forms, including helping students obtain groceries, legal services, medical and mental health services, and financial assistance for emergencies.Here are some things you can do:
- Communicate with students regularly. Let them know that you will be try to be especially open, flexible and understanding until some stability returns.
- Share student support resources on your Blackboard site. KU has many resources for supporting students, including medical, counseling and mental health services, and support for international students. Click here for more information about those resources on the CTE website.
- Refer students you are concerned about for help.
- If you are worried about a student’s mental health, use the referral services offered by Student Affairs, and refer students to KU's Counseling and Psychological Services.
- Student Affairs also lists campus and community resources for students in distress.
- If you are worried about a students' adjustment to their academic work, refer to the University Academic Support Centers website.
Want to give your students an assignment to help them with self-care? See an example here.
For more information:
CTE website provides information about Supporting students' mental health.
In this video, Jody Brook (Social Welfare and CTE) and Kristin Vargas (CAPS) talk about the role of faculty members in student mental health. ihttps://cte.drupal.ku.edu/mental-health-videos-0