{"196631":{"#nid":"196631","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Know Strategies to Assist Troubled Students","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHe was the kind of student any professor would dream of teaching.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring a recent discussion, sponsored by the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), a professor shared an experience from recent years that he hopes no other faculty member has to go through.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe first indication I had that anything was wrong was when a colleague who had the student in a class mentioned that the student hadn\u2019t shown up for a presentation,\u201d the professor said. \u201cNo one could reach the student, so the police went to the student\u2019s apartment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe student had died by suicide.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis came as a complete shock to me,\u201d the professor said. \u201cIn speaking with the student\u2019s father, I learned that the student had been treated for depression in the past \u2014 but that was never shared with any professors or friends.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESometimes it can be difficult to detect students who are in trouble \u2014 as was the case with this professor and student. But many times, all it takes is simply asking a student if he or she is OK to get clued in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETech Students Seeking Help\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past seven years, the number of students coming to the Counseling Center for assistance has steadily increased, from 790 new students seeking counseling from 2005 to 2006 to 1,132 new students seeking counseling from 2011 to 2012, said Ruperto Perez, director of the Counseling Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is pretty consistent with the national data and can be partially attributed to the fact that students are more aware that these services are available and they should use them,\u201d he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe number of students seeking treatment for depression and anxiety have remained relatively stable at Tech, which is consistent with national trends.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, over the past four years, there has been an increase in the number seeking treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, from an average of 8.2 percent from 2004 to 2007 to 9.75 percent from 2008 to 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EData from the past 12 years indicate that about 60 percent of the center\u2019s clients are undergraduate students (primarily second year and beyond), and 40 percent are graduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESee Something, Say Something\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, more than 4,000 people aged 15 to 24 die by suicide each year in the United States. So if you sense a student is troubled, it\u2019s better to trust your instinct than do nothing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou are the eyes and ears for us,\u201d said John Stein, dean of students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty and staff members have two options when they feel concerned about a student. The first is to speak with a student one-on-one.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI remember being concerned that a student was considering suicide, but I was hesitant to ask the student if this was the case,\u201d said Joyce Weisenheimer, deputy director of CETL. \u201cWhen I finally got up the nerve to ask, the student didn\u2019t hesitate before saying \u2018yes.\u2019 Sometimes, we have to get over our own reticence and just ask students if they\u2019re OK.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe other option is to send a referral via the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/V1cebr\u0022\u003EDean of Students website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the discussion, Stein shared a few examples of referrals he has received, ranging from one from a faculty member who had learned that a student\u2019s mother had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted to connect the student with some resources, to another from a faculty member who was concerned about a student\u2019s continued absence from class.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd Stein pointed out that the faculty or staff member isn\u2019t required to tell the student about the referral.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI see all referrals, and if you want to remain anonymous, I will respect that,\u201d Stein said. \u201cWe are here to help you, so if you ever have any sort of concern or question, let us know.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Campus Resources\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor faculty and staff members who would like to learn more about the signs to look for and strategies for assisting troubled students, here are campus resources to be aware of:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/15JUWm4\u0022\u003ECounseling Center\u2019s website\u003C\/a\u003E features videos and additional information.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/YRMmwm\u0022\u003EPage 75 of CETL\u2019s New Faculty Handbook\u003C\/a\u003E offers a detailed table with information on warning signs, intervening and making a referral.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDuring a recent discussion, sponsored by the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), a professor shared an experience from recent years that he hopes no other faculty member has to go through.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"During a recent discussion, sponsored by the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), a professor shared an experience from recent years that he hopes no other faculty member has to go through."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-03-04 13:22:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:44","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cetl.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL)"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.counseling.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Counseling Center,"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of the Dean of Students"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13286","name":"Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning"},{"id":"1601","name":"CETL"},{"id":"1020","name":"counseling center"},{"id":"7027","name":"dean of students"},{"id":"1506","name":"faculty"},{"id":"167018","name":"staff"},{"id":"166847","name":"students"},{"id":"167348","name":"suicide"},{"id":"60351","name":"troubled students"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-4142\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}