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High School Programs

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Babson Faculty and Staff are in a unique position to demonstrate compassion for students in distress. You may be the first person to see something distressing in a student since you have frequent and prolonged contact with them.  

Trust your instincts if a student leaves you feeling concerned, worried, or alarmed: Even if you don’t know what to do or where to go—tell someone! 

Recognizing Signs of Distress in Students

  • Repeated absences or decline in performance
  • Bizarre content in writings or presentations
  • Multiple requests for extensions
  • Overly demanding of faculty/staff attention
  • You find yourself providing more personal rather than academic support
  • Noticeable changes in hygiene, grooming, or attire
  • Excessive fatigue or flat affect
  • Changes in speech (slurred, disconnected, or garbled)
  • Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
  • Unusual or disproportional emotional response to events
  • Excessive tearfulness, panic, irritability, hostility
  • Expressions of hopelessness, worthlessness, contemplating suicide
  • Self-disclosures (financial difficulties, grief, family/relationship concerns or conflict)
  • Delusions, paranoia, or disconnect with reality
  • Signs of physical abuse or self-injury
  • Unprovoked anger or hostility 
  • Implying or making a direct threat to self or others
  • Communicating threats via email, text, social media, or phone calls
  • Bullying, harassing, or intimidating others 

Assisting Students in Distress

Follow the Chart below to determine who to contact when faced with a distressed or distressing student.

Is the student a danger to self, or others, or does the student need immediate assistance for any reason?

YES:

The student's conduct is clearly and imminently reckless, disorderly, dangerous or threatening including self-harm behavior or having a weapon.

Next Steps:

If on-campus:
Call Public Safety at 781-239-5555

If off-campus:
Call 911

After speaking with police/public safety fill out a CARE Referral to alert the CARE Team

I'M NOT SURE:

The student shows signs of distress but I am unsure how serious it is. My interaction has left me feeling uneasy and/or concerned about the student.

Next Steps:

Fill out a CARE Referral
The Care Team will work coordinate resources in order to recommend collaborative and purposeful (non-punitive) support.

And/Or:

Walk student to Counseling and Psychological Services at Park Manor South Annex.

Further Resources