Faculty & Staff

Step 1: Attempt to Make Contact

• Before escalating, try to reach the student multiple times by email, course messages, and a phone call if possible.
• Next, assess for safety concerns:
  • Did the student cut off communication after disclosing significant personal information?
  • Did the student share anything in an assignment or conversation that causes you concern?
• Based on your assessment, proceed accordingly:
  • If you do not have safety concerns, go to Step 2.
  • If you have safety concerns, but it’s not an emergency, go to Step 3.
  • If you have concerns and believe the situation is emergent, go to Step 4 or call 911. 

Step 2: Send Message of Academic Concern

• If the student is unresponsive but you do not believe they’re at risk, send them a final email noting you are referring them to additional resources. Use the email script below as a guide for your message: 

“[Student Name] - 

Since I have not heard from you for some time, I have become concerned about your lack of engagement in the class. [Insert statement about what has caused this academic concern]. I would like to hear back from you by [state specific date and time (generally 24 business hours from when you send)]. If I do not hear from you, I will refer you to our Care Team, who will reach out to you to offer support and resources." 

• If the student does not respond by your deadline, submit a Care Team referral.

• Once you submit a referral, Care Team staff will respond to you (the referrer/reporting party) within 1-2 business days, noting they have received the referral and will be making attempts to contact the student. To ensure the student’s privacy, Care Team staff will not inform the referrer/reporting party when they have made contact with the student. Instead, Care Team staff will encourage students to communicate with the referrer/reporting party directly.
  

Step 3: Send Message of Safety Concern

• If the student’s silence raises concerns about their wellbeing, send them a final email noting you are referring them to the Care Team, using the below script as a guide for your communication: 

"Subject Line: Response Needed - Concerned about your safety"

"[Student Name] -

Since I have not heard from you for some time, I have become extremely concerned about your safety and wellbeing. [Insert statement about what has caused extreme concern for safety/wellbeing]. I need to hear back from you about whether or not you are safe by [state specific date and time-- generally 24 business hours from when you’re calling/emailing], or I will need to ask my colleagues in the Office for Student Affairs Care Team to contact you to confirm your safety."

• If your initial attempts to reach the missing/unresponsive student are unsuccessful, submit a referral to the Care Team. As you complete the Care Team’s referral form, please include the following details:
  • The date/time of the last known affirmative contact with the student (student communicated with someone, attended a class or submitted an assignment, etc.)
  • The dates/times of recent attempts to reach out to the student
  • Any known risk factors of harm to self or others (statements about harm, previous active attempts of harm, access to weapons, etc.)
  • Any additional information that is causing you to be concerned about the student’s safety and wellbeing.
• Once you submit a referral, Care Team staff will respond to you (the referrer/reporting party) within 1-2 business days, noting they have received the referral and will be making attempts to contact the student. Care Team will then assess the referral and send communication that includes even more direct language about the student’s need to respond. 
  • Understand that there is nothing the University can do to force a student to engage unless you suspect the student is at risk. If the student is not at risk, they can choose not to respond to the Care Team.
     

Step 4: Emergency Situation

• Call 911 immediately if the student has expressed: 
  • Intent to harm self/others
  • Access to weapons
  • Being in immediate danger 
• After calling 911, submit a referral to the Care Team.
• Additional resources: 
  • Learn how to support a student going through a mental health crisis (microtraining video)  
  • Learn how UMPD responds to mental health calls (microtraining video)