If You Encounter a Community Member with a Problem
Emergency
Illness
Emotional Behavior
If you see or are dealing with aggressive behavior, contact the
Campus Safety Department. After the incident, contact the
Dean of Students, the Behavioral Intervention Team Chair, at
340-6016 or apaciej@marywood.edu
If you see or are dealing with a person who is
injured, or whose behavior seems erratic, contact:
If you see or are dealing with a student who needs
to talk to someone about personal concerns or is
experiencing a psychological or emotional crisis,
contact:
Campus Safety Department
Mike Finegan
x6242
campus-safety@marywood.edu
or call 911
Student Health Services
Linda McDade
x6249
lmcdade@marywood.edu
Loughran Hall, Terrace
Counseling/Student Development Center
Dr. Robert Shaw
x6245
rsshaw@marywood.edu
1010 McGowan Center
Faculty & Staff Behavior
Disruptive/Worrisome
Behavior
Behaviors Affecting
Academics
If you witness a faculty/staff member who is disruptive but
not necessarily dangerous in nature, contact Human
Resources or the Academic Dean’s Office. Disruptive
/worrisome behavior includes behavior that interferes with
the Marywood community members’ ability to live, learn and
work.
Human Resources:
Dr. Patricia Dunleavy
570-348-6220 or dunleavy@marywood.edu
86 Liberal Arts Center
See information inside this folder for warning signs
and action steps involving distressed and disruptive
behavior. If you see a student who is disruptive, but
not necessarily dangerous in nature, contact the MU
Behavioral Intervention Team.
If you identify a student who is experiencing
academic or learning concerns, talk to the
student. If the problem persists, contact:
Behavioral Intervention Team
Meghan Cruciani, Retention & Academic Advising
Mike Finegan, Campus Safety
Linda McDade, Health Services
Dr. Amy Paciej-Woodruff, Dean of Students, Chair
Sara Rothenberger, Housing and Residence Life
Dr. Robert Shaw, Counseling/Student Development
Diane Taylor, Student Support Services
Academic Progress Office
Meghan Cruciani
Associate Director
Retention & Academic Advising
x6043
cruciani@marywood.edu
227 Liberal Arts Center
Academic Deans
College of Health & Human Services: x6295
Reap College of Education & Human Development: x6230
School of Architecture: x4536
Insalaco College of Creative & Performing Arts: x6000
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: x6233
x6016 or apaciej@marywood.edu
107C Nazareth Student Center
Q: How do I recognize a student in distress?
Q: How do I help a distressed student? Don’t ignore the situation. Take Action!
Common “red flags:”
 Obvious changes in mood or behavior
 Tearfulness, depressed mood
 Restlessness, agitation, acting out
 Change in grades, class attendance, work habits
 Anxiety, panic, or avoidant behavior
 Coming to class drunk, high, hung over
 Expressions of hopelessness or suicidal behavior
 Disturbing material submitted in class work, papers, exams
 Evidence of self-inflicted harm: scars, cuts, burns, etc.
 Deteriorating hygiene
 Bizarre behavior/unusual speech
 Significant weight changes
 Irritability, outbursts or disruptive behavior
Checklist:
o Talk with the student privately: be specific about the troubling behaviors you have
observed. Express your concern and offer assistance, typically a referral to
Counseling/Student Development Center, Health Services or other campus resources.
o Know your campus resources so you can speak knowledgeably. Have contact information
ready to give the student.
o Reassure the student and strive to de-stigmatize help-seeking. Remind the student that
counseling and health services are free and confidential. Visits will not become a part of
their college record.
o Offer to help the student make an appointment: You may wish to walk with the student to
an office to serve as a bridge to a campus resource.
o Document: follow up and check-in with the student.
o Call Counseling, Health Services or the Dean of Students.
o Please report your concerns to the Dean of Students x6016.
Q: Will I be liable for defamation If I call Campus Safety or refer a
student for misconduct and it’s later determine I made an honest
mistake?
Q: If I share my concerns about a student could I get in
trouble because of FERPA?
Q: What if a student has a
disability?
What is often misunderstood about FERPA is that some
information is not considered a protected educational record.
Personal observations and knowledge not maintained in
records or shared with others are not considered educational
records. In addition, FERPA allows for information to be
shared in the case of an emergency and to help an employee
do their job. Therefore, if you have observed behavior or have
personal knowledge that suggests a student is in trouble,
particularly when you believe the health and safety of the
student or others may be in jeopardy, you are encouraged to
solicit support and/or advice to diffuse the situation. This may
be an action as simple as calling the Dean of Students for
advice on handling a disruptive student or calling Campus
Safety to report an emergency.
A documented disability, including
a psychiatric disability, does not
excuse disruptive behavior nor
preclude student compliance with
classroom conduct standards. If a
student’s disruptive behavior
relates to a psychological or
physical disability, learn more
about how to foster acceptable
behavior within the guidelines of
the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) by contacting the Office of
Student Support Services at x6045,
223B Liberal Arts Center.
There is little risk of liability for making such a report. There are
strong policies to support and protect those who make good faith
reports to the appropriate officials even if those reports later prove
to be inaccuarate. Common law (or statutes in some states) gives
people who report misconduct to proper authorities a “qualified
privilege.” That means they cannot be held liable for defamation
unless their report was made in bad faith and/or knowledgeably gave
false information. Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
takes a “good faith” approach in weighing the actions of university
officials to protect students relative to mandated privacy protections
of student education records. All cases referred to BIT are treated
with care and fairness. All students are provided the opportunity to
speak on their own behalf.
Q: How should I respond to a disruptive student in the classroom?
Disruptive behavior often is interpreted as falling along a continuum. It amounts to more than strong emotions or opinions expressed during the course of academic
debate. It is also more than the expression of controversial and/or extreme points of view. Individual instructors vary in the range of behavior they tolerate in their
classrooms. However, “disruptive behavior” generally is that which interferes with teaching and learning. Some examples include:
Verbal badgering, frequent interruptions
Cursing or use of derogatory & demeaning language
Verbal or physical threats
Intoxication/drug use
Physical aggression to people or property
Refusal to heed written or oral directions
Erratic, odd or unusual behavior
Action Checklist
o
o
o
o
Plan ahead. Try to prevent problems before they occur. Determine the standards you wish to enforce in your classroom or office. Include specific behavioral
guidelines in your syllabus and discuss your behavioral expectations in class at the beginning of each semester.
Inform the student. Communicate (best if done in private) that his/her behavior has violated the rules for acceptable behavior in your classroom. Be specific
and concrete about what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Set clear expectations for future behavior.
Document your interventions. If you counsel a student about his/her behavior, make a record including the date, names of those present , what was said and
describe the student behavior that was objectionable. Follow up with a written summary to the student. Keep you department chair informed of all
interventions with disruptive students. Also, provide a copy to the Dean of Students or Campus Safety.
In extreme situations. Ask the student to leave the class immediately. Whether the student leaves or not, contact Campus Safety at x6242 to alert them to the
situation.
Q: What if the disruption occurs outside the classroom?
If a disruption occurs in an office or public area, remember that safety is key. If a student is behaving in a verbally aggressive manner, remain calm, do not raise your
voice or confront the student. Don’t touch the student or move closer.
Politely request that the person respect your physical space and speak in a conversational tone if s/he wishes to continue talking with you. It is always OK to set limits on
student behavior, if done appropriately. For example, you may respectfully end the conversation or leave the area if you feel your safety is threatened. Strive to defuse
rather than escalate threatening situations.
If you identify someone who is disruptive, but not necessarily dangerous, contact the Dean of Student at x6016. If a student makes a threat or becomes physically
aggressive, contact Campus Safety immediately at x6242.
Behavioral Intervention Team Mission Statement:
Adapted from
Resource Numbers
Dean of Students………………………………………x6016
Campus Safety………………………………………….x6242
Counseling/Student Development………….x6245
Health Services………………………………………..x6249
Disability Services…………………………………….x6045
Human Resources…………………………………….348-6220
Edgewood
College,
Milwaukee School
of Engineering &
the University of
Mary Washington
The mission of the Marywood University Behavioral Intervention Team is to
provide a caring program of identification, intervention and response while
balancing the needs of the individual with those of the community. The BIT:
identifies students whose behavioral patterns have raised concern about their wellbeing; centralizes communication to gain a more complete understanding of the
whole individual student; and, develops a collaborative outreach plan with campus
and community resources to address identified risks.
URGENT CONTACT GUIDE
Campus Safety
570-348-6242 or 911
Faculty Issues:
Contact the College Dean or the Vice President for Academic Affairs: x6232
Staff Issues:
Human Resources: x6220
Campus Support Services:
Counseling/Student Development: x6245
Health Services: x6249
Housing & Residence Life: x6236
Dean of Students: x6016
If unsure, call Campus Safety at x6242
RESPONSE 101



REACT: If the student is a threat, contact Campus Safety at x6242 immediately. If the student is causing disruption, but is not a
threat to others, discuss your concerns individually. A disruptive student may be asked to leave a classroom or office.
REFER: Get the student connected to the right resource.
REPORT: Report all incidents involving student behavior or concern to the Dean of Students at x6016.
To be printed on the folder tab:
BIT
Urgent Contact Guide
Behavioral Intervention Team