The Tools to Use:Distinguishing and Addressing Uncomfortable vs. Threatening Behavior

Student Success ConferenceOctober 16, 2014

Presenters

Craig EnyeartAssistant Dean of Students

And Director

Kourtney Barrett

Associate Director

Consider the Student Population

• Demographics• First Generation students• Millennials • Only child• Home-schooled• Transitioning • Have to work to attend college• Have a pre-existing psychological condition• Be “creepy” “odd” “awkward”• Challenge authority/opinion of others• Experience culture shock

Students are Encouraged to:

• Engage and excel academically• Role model the Sycamore Standard• Make positive choices• Develop holistically• Appropriately challenge each other• Learn from their mistakes• Explore their beliefs and identities as

well as those of others

Students Should Not:• Be disrespectful or uncivil• Participate in academic misconduct• Prevent others from being able to learn• Fail to comply with college officials acting

within the scope of their authority• Pressure peers or feel pressured from

peers• Create unnecessary harm • Violate the Code of Student Conduct

Lets Start at the Very Beginning…

• Learn about your students• Engage with your students• Role model• Set expectations early and consequences– Avoid changing expectations “as needed”

• What is in the news? Will your content and audience collide?

• Know your own limits and authority• Recognize your biases, triggers, or miscalls

Triggers/Miscalls• The student behavior is not

disrupting the learning of the rest of the class

• Even though, the learning of that individual student may be disrupted

• Behavior is not disrupting the role responsibilities of the teacher (though it may be personally disruptive to the teacher)

Howard Seeman; Preventing Disruptive Behavior in Colleges

Triggers/Miscalls• Behaviors can be:– Side-stepped– Handled later– Not made into a big deal– Not focused on– Ignored

• Professor/Instructor can continue with class

Howard Seeman; Preventing Disruptive Behavior in Colleges

BEHAVIORS…

Uncomfortable, “Creepy” Vs. Disruptive, Threatening

Discomfort, “Creepy,” Annoying

• Staring• Not picking up on social

cues• Interrupting • Talking loudly • Asking a lot of questions• Challenging the

topic/discussion• Talking about unrelated to

class• Standing within personal

space Wanting to speak to your supervisor/chair

• Disrespectful/rude behavior

• Threatening to sue you• Monopolizing your time• Crying• Not listening • Not doing homework• Not engaging in class• Answering phone,

talking, texting, on computer in class

• Emailing incessantly

Disruptive Behavior and Cues

• Yelling or excessively loud• Excessive hygiene concerns• Under the influence• Refusing to leave or cooperate• Destroying Property• Not complying with instructions• Escalating low-level behaviors

Assess the Situation• Ambiguity and Conformity• Is there imminent danger or is violence a

likely outcome?– Problem or an Emergency

• Am I able to resolve this?– Can I manage it until support arrives?– Do I need to follow-up?

• Who, how, what needs reported?• Be prepared to feel uncomfortable• Is this a “teachable moment?”

Responding and Reacting

Responding to Students of Concern

Safety First: The welfare of the student and campus community is priority when a student displays threatening or potentially violent behavior. The most effective means of preventing self-harm and violence is providing professional help and follow-up care.

Listen Sensitively and Carefully: Approach the student respectfully and ask to speak in private when you both have time. Give the student your undivided attention, listen to the student’s thoughts and feelings in a sensitive, non-threatening way.

Keep A Record: Keeping a detailed record of interactions and observations of a student whom is perceived to be in crisis, will be extremely helpful in determining appropriate response measures. Keep these records in a safe space, where access is restrictive to others.

Provide Resources: Help the student by calling for assistance and reporting your concerns to University Police, Student Counseling Center, Student Conduct and Integrity, and/or the Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs.

Consult and Inform: With respect to the student’s privacy, consult with the Dean/Department Chair of your respective area. Share your observations to determine whether other faculty have the same concerns. Be mindful of the student’s right to privacy. Do not share your concerns with other students. Help the student by calling for assistance and reporting your concerns to University Police, Student Counseling Center, Student Conduct and Integrity, and/or the Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs

What Would You Do?

Florida Atlantic University Classroom Situation

Disclaimers:Strong, Potentially Offensive Language

You are Not Alone• Colleagues/Department Chairs• Student Conduct and Integrity• Behavior Intervention Team (BIT)• Student Counseling Center• Student Advocacy/ Student

Ombudsperson• University Police• Center for Student Success

Difficult Conversations• Focus on the behavior• Build a rapport, explain why you are talking

to him/her• Check your pulse• Determine best/safest environment• Provide an opportunity for the student to feel

heard• No judgment and avoid becoming defensive• Realize the student may not understand

their behavior was of concern/inappropriate

Time for Growth…• Discuss alternative methods of

communicating or displaying behavior…what does appropriate classroom behavior “look like”

• Move towards Success:– Connect to services– Offer suggestions and positive outcomes

Referrals• Document timeline and interactions– Remain objective, unbiased, keep to the details,

describe behavior, use exact phrases• Notify supervisors– Avoid “break-room chatter”

• Student Conduct & Integrity– Maxient Report

Questions?Student Conduct and Integrity

HMSU, Room 821812-237-3800

www.indstate.edu/sci