Transcript Responding to Difficult Students

“Responding to Difficult
Students”
COTL Presentation
August 28, 2007
Mick Miyamoto, Ph. D.
Assistant Dean of Students
Jon Hageseth, Ph. D.
Director, Counseling and Testing
Outline
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Difficult/Challenging Behaviors
Sharing some perspectives
Conduct Codes and Laws
Practical Suggestions
Resources
Questions and Hopefully Answers
Based on Your Experiences
2 minute exercise
Consider the following profile of a troubled young
adult, based on actual case history…
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Talked about suicide for weeks at a time
Reportedly wrote poetry about thrusting a dagger in his heart and
drawing blood in showers
Was known to “go crazy,” requiring the removal of knives and
dangerous items from his room
Purchased opiates and cocaine
Wandered around with a gun during periods of suicidal ideation
Collapsed while speaking openly of his hopelessness and thoughts
of suicide
Was eventually diagnosed with “recurrent major depression.”
Did you have a person like this in your class? So
who was this “risk to himself and society”?
Abraham Lincoln
Source: Webinar by Gary Pavela: www.magnapubs.com, 7/25/07
Predictability
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Predicting violent behavior is very, very
difficult…especially without previous
violent behaviors, threats or gestures.
Suicide assessment scales have very low
predictive value
No accurate or useful profile of the school
shooter
Source: National Academy of Science
Suicide on Campus is Uncommon
Suicide Ideation….
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TEN PERCENT think about it (often)
1.5% will make a “gesture”
1,000 to 1 odds that one will actually attempt
with the intent to die
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 1524 year olds.
Mental Health Issues
Source: Paul Applebaum…and David Mays
Lethal Shootings
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9 incidents between 1966 and present
2.25 incidents every 10 years
Not to minimize - Wisconsin
Access to firearms
Alcohol
Violence & Mental Health
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Relationship is similar to that between
“violence” and “male gender”
American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
“The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act do NOT
give students with disabilities a different standard for appropriate
behavior. When institution officials determine that a code of
conduct has been violated, they can take action as long as it is NOT
BASED UPON THE STUDENT’S DISABILITIES.”
Source: LRP Publications, 2005, Vol. 11, Issue 3, October 2005
Discipline
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Goss v. Lopez (1975)
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UWS Chapter 17 -4) (a) For conduct that obstructs
(
or seriously impairs or attempts to obstruct or seriously
impair university-run or university-authorized activities,
or that interferes with or impedes the ability of a
member of the university community, or guest, to
participate in university-run or university-authorized
activities.
UWS 17 cont…
b) Examples of the conduct prohibited under this
subsection include, but are not limited to: preventing or
blocking physical entry to, or exit from, a university
building, corridor or room; engaging in shouted
interruptions, whistling, or similar means of
interfering with a classroom presentation or a
university-sponsored speech or program;
obstructing a university officer or employee engaged in
the lawful performance of duties; obstructing or
interfering with a student engaged in attending classes
or participating in university-run or university-authorized
activities; or knowingly disrupting access to university
computing resources, or misusing university computing
resources.
UWS chapter 18
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(30) DISORDERLY CONDUCT. No person
may engage in violent, abusive, indecent,
profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or
otherwise disorderly conduct under
circumstances in which the conduct tends
to cause or provoke a disturbance, in
university buildings or on university lands.
Suggestions
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Personal Safety
LaCrosse Police call 911
University Police call 9-9999
When should you call the police?
Call if there is Imminent Danger
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“Imminent Danger” - “Direct Threat”
=
“a high probability of substantial harm….”
CALL UWL POLICE –
789-9999 or 911!
Suggestions
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Personal Safety
La Crosse Police call 911
University Police call 9-9999
Consult
Consultations
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Paula Knudson, Dean of Students – 785-8150
Office of Student Life, Mick Miyamoto or Marcia Johnson
Sage – 785-8062
“On Call Staff” or Jon Hageseth, Counseling & Testing–
785-8073
June Reinert, Disability Resource Services – 785-6900
Scott Rohde, Chief University Police – 9-9000 and/or
785-8711
Ingrid Peterson, Violence Prevention Advocate – 7855126
Suggestions
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Personal Safety
La Crosse Police call 911
University Police call 9-9999
Consult
Talk with Student – CTC Brochure
Refer Student, e.g. BIT
Concerned about a student?
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Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) consists
of staff from:
Office of Student Life
Counseling and Testing
Student Health
Residence Life
Campus Police
Other units may be called in when appropriate
What we learned from the
Virginia Tech tragedy
FERPA
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The Family Educational Rights & Privacy
Act does NOT…
Prohibit sharing between those who
have a legitimate educational interest/goal
Q&A
Ms. June Reinert
Disability Resource Services
785-6900
Mr. Scott Rohde
Chief of Campus Police
789-9000