(447b) A Faculty Flowchart for Student Disengagement and Mental Health

Mental health problems have skyrocketed among young people and students, and professors are increasingly finding themselves in challenging student situations. Faculty training, if it exists, does not typically address non-cognitive problems. It is unrealistic and unfair to expect professors to serve as counselors or therapists, but as classroom instructors, professors have opportunities to identify troubling behavior and influence students towards constructive behavior and help-seeking.

We created a simple flowchart to guide faculty and TAs through challenging student situations from mental health crises to chronic disengagement. Answering questions such as "are you concerned about behavior or disengagement?" or "is it a sudden change or chronic? " directs instructors to appropriate responses. Interactive links provide specific examples, resource links, and, very importantly, suggested language for addressing the student.

The flowchart was developed through interviews with department heads as well as support units including: Academic Advising, Campus Safety, Counseling Center, Student Health and Wellness, Student Life, Student Success. Panels of students and faculty were convened by the Undergraduate Student Government Association and Teaching and Learning Center, respectively, to provide feedback on preliminary iterations. Suggested language for responding to students was approved by experts in counseling and mental health as well as the Office of General Counsel. Altogether, approximately forty stakeholders including faculty, students, administrators, and staff contributed input and feedback. This tool is designed for a resource-lean environment, and accordingly requires no workshops, training modules, database management, or staffing. The flowchart is available for public download on the Teaching and Learning Center's website.

This talk will discuss lessons learned from the flowchart development and rollout process and their implications for future faculty development projects.