Concern
The Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students works with the Student Response Team to address issues related to address academic, physical, psychological, and safety risk indicators experienced by students. Our goal is to intervene before the student reaches a crisis level.
If the student you are creating a report for poses a threat of harm to self or others please call the UC Merced Police Department immediately at 209-228-2677/911.
What to Look For:
The following signs of distress should raise concerns. These may be behaviors that you observe or that are reported to you by colleagues, other students, or faculty, etc. If you see any of these signs within a student please follow the process below.
Behavioral Concerns
- Excessive tearfulness or panic reactions
- Irritability or unusual apathy
- Verbal abuse
- Unprovoked anger or hostility
- Physical violence
Academic Concerns
- Sudden decline in quality of work and grades
- Repeated absences
- Disorganized performance
- Multiple requests for extensions
- Overly demanding of faculty and staff time and attention
- Written references to death, dying, or suicide
- Marked changes in physical appearance including deterioration in grooming, hygiene, or weight loss/gain
- Excessive fatigue/sleep disturbance
Interpersonal Concerns
- Withdrawing from social situations
- Inability to get along with others
- Complaints from others
- Self-disclosure of personal distress such as family problems, financial difficulties, contemplating suicide, grief, etc.
The Student of Concern Reporting Process
As a UC Merced community, it is our goal to intervene before a student reaches a crisis level. The process below offers supportive intervention and guidance to any UC Merced student who is in distress or struggling. If you are aware that a student is experiencing challenges or difficulties that concern you please do the following:
1. Support a Student in Distress
When aiding a student you are not expected to provide personal counseling. Rather, you play an important role in empowering students to use campus resources, including facilitating a referral to the following:
| Student Concern | Campus Resource | Location | Referral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency - Student in danger to self or others | Police Department | Police Station (next to LeGrand Lot) | 911, (209) 228-2677 |
| Emergency - Student reported discrimination/harassment | Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination | KL 323 |
Kim Overdyck, Director, (209) 285-9510, http://ophd.ucmerced.edu/report |
| Emergency - Student reported sexual violence/relationship violence/stalking | CARE Office | KL 107 | Guadalupe Naranjo, CARE Campus Advocate, (209) 386-2051 |
| Food Security | Basic Needs Security | TC 106 | Bavneet Kaur, (209) 631-3871, http://basicneeds.ucmerced.edu |
| Insufficient funds/finance/budget planning | Students First Center - Financial Aid Office | ADMIN 100 | Students First Center - Financial Aid Advisors, (209) 228-7178 |
| Academic Accommodations | Student Accessibility Services | ACS 140 | Drew Shelburne, (209) 228-7884 |
| Health/wellness (depression/mental health) | CAPS and Health Center | Joseph. E. Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center | (209) 228-4266, counseling@ucmerced.edu |
| Housing Assignments | Housing | Half Dome 195 | Scott Leppla, Housing Director, sleppla@ucmerced.edu |
| Roommate Concerns | Residence Education | Valley Terraces Office | Ang Banez, Residence Education Director, abanez@ucmerced.edu |
| Transportation Concerns | Transportation Services | Facilities Services Building A | (209) 228-8277, taps@ucmerced.edu |
| Homelessness/Emergency housing | Dean of Students Office | KL 311 | (209) 228-4482 |
| Academic appeals/petitions | Academic Advising Offices | Assigned Academic Advisor, School Dean, http://advising.ucmerced.edu | |
| Student Conduct/Academic Integrity | Office of Student Conduct | KL 113 | Le'Trice Curl, Associate Dean of Students and Director of OSRR, (209) 228-7881, http://studentconduct.ucmerced.edu/ |
| Confidential, neutral off-the-record resource | Ombuds Office | SSB 213 | (209) 228-4410, https://ombuds.ucmerced.edu/ |
2. File a Student of Concern Report
After making the appropriate referrals above, you should file a student of concern report: here
3. What Happens After
Once a Student of Concern Report is filed, it is sent to the Dean of Students Office Staff for review. The DOS staff may contact the individual who filed the report to discuss the concern. More importantly, the DOS staff will reach out to the student of concern to assess any additional resources the student may need and collaboratively develop an action plan. Depending on the circumstance the DOS staff will keep this student on the Students Response Team radar and monitor the student’s progress.
Additional Resources
Guidance and Resources for International and Undocumented Students: Website
Promoting Student Mental Health (UC Wide): Download
Promoting Student Mental Health (UC Merced): Download
