Students experience a wide-range of adjustments when entering college. While most students’ needs are addressed through the routine functioning of the University, a growing number of students require further attention. The CARE Committee brings together administrators from Student Life, Public Safety, the Counseling Center, and Academic Affairs to offer an informed and caring response to students of concern. Current CARE Committee members are:

Kathy Byrnes, Associate Vice President for Student Life; Chair of CARE
Paul Pugh, Dean of Students
Dave Tedjeske, Director of Public Safety
Tom DeMarco, Director for Residence Life
Joan Whitney, Director of Counseling Center
Craig Wheeland, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

CARE discusses exceptional cases involving undergraduate and graduate students presenting concerns that are best addressed by the combined attention of these University offices. Exceptional cases are defined as:

Students who may be threats to themselves
Students who may be threats to the campus community
Students who have experienced traumatic personal events
Students whose behavior and/or emotional state raise significant concerns

Students who create these concerns may manifest their difficulties in the classroom, in the residence halls, and in many other settings within the University. When faculty members encounter students whose behavior or situation is analogous to the cases described above, they should communicate their concerns and observations to an academic Assistant or Associate Dean, the Dean of Students, and/or the Counseling Center staff. The Assistant or Associate Deans will communicate their faculty members’ concerns to any member of the CARE Committee. When other members of the University, including Student Life, Public Safety, and Residence Life, encounter students whose behavior or situation is analogous to the cases described above, they will convey their concerns to appropriate officials, who will, in turn, communicate with the CARE Committee.

The Counseling Center staff will continue to be available to consult with faculty about any student, whether or not the faculty member’s level of concern is great enough for the faculty member to involve academic administrators or the CARE Committee.

If you encounter a student whose actions or behavior are disruptive to class, but are not “exceptional cases” as defined above, then discuss the matter with your department Chair to review options to manage the classroom and follow existing procedures defined in the Faculty Handbook under “Discipline of Students.”