The overall goal of the Behavioral Intervention/Violence Prevention Plan is to promote a safe college environment for all students and staff focused on student learning and student development. By encouraging all members of the campus community to report behaviors that are concerning, the BIT will be able to reach out to students to intervene, provide support, and connect them with resources that can assist them. As such, the BIT asks that the campus community report concerning, “red flag” behaviors.
Recognizing that it is not uncommon for college students to display some questionable or inappropriate behaviors, “red flags” behaviors are those questionable, suspicious, or inappropriate behaviors that go beyond what seems normal or reasonable for the situation. “Red flag” behaviors may be presented through a student’s appearance, spoken or written words, or specific actions. Examples of “red flag” behaviors include:
Over the course of their career at Lake Land College, it is likely that staff will come into contact with a student they find challenging. It is important to understand the difference between a student having a bad day and a student who may need mental health treatment or intervention. All students go through a time of adjustment when they begin college. It is normal for students to feel anxious and sad to some degree within the first three months of beginning college, as they try to figure out how and where they fit. Concern should come when the distress to the student is in excess of what would be expected or if there is significant impairment in social, educational or occupational functioning. Whether a student is having difficulty with the transition to college, depression or anxiety, help is available. Staff is not expected to diagnose a student’s situation, but are asked to recognize when a student is in trouble and to connect them to Counseling Services. Counselors can them assess the situation and assist the student.
Stressors that can cause Adjustment Disorder include divorce, loss of employment, becoming a parent, retirement, death of a friend or family member, illness or injury. If a student has recently experienced one or more of these stressors, along with the stress of beginning college, their adjustment may be more difficult.
Many students suffer from anxiety. Some never make it to the classroom because of that anxiety. In the classroom, anxiety might look like: excessive worry, feeling “on edge”, panic attacks, avoiding speeches or group projects, leaving class early, fear of failure or criticism.
Periods of sadness are a normal part of the human experience; however, diagnosable depression is persistent and causes significant distress. If it appears that a student might be depressed, it is important to not assume that someone else in the student’s life will intervene. One of the characteristics of depression is isolation. An instructor may spend more time with a student than anyone else that day. There are ways that depression manifests itself in the classroom. For example, the instructor might notice: sadness, inability to concentrate, missed classes, decreased motivation, isolation, decrease in person hygiene, and a change from previous functioning.