Faculty & Staff Resources

faculty-staff-resources

University of Arkansas faculty and staff are often in a position to encourage a student to connect to resources on campus.

Expressing compassionate concern could save an academic career or even a life, especially for struggling students who cannot or will not ask for help.  If you know a student who is struggling and aren't sure how to help, CAPS can offer education, support and interventions.

CAPS offers a range of consultation services to students’ families, faculty and staff members, community providers, and other members of the community.

Consultation can help identify the next steps, appropriate resources and services for a student. You can always refer students to CAPS if they are facing mental health related barriers to academic success.

If you have a consultation request or question about the consultation services CAPS offers, call 479-575-5276.

QPR stands for: Question, Persuade, and Refer. QPR is 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Suicide is everybody's business; look out for one another. Medical professionals have to know CPR; however, it's best for all of us to know it so if we see someone in danger, we are equipped to help. People trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to get a person at risk the help they need, just like someone who is trained in CPR can help someone in need and get them to professional care they need. You might be surprised and may find it useful at some point in your life with someone you know and care about.

You may access an online QPR training and entering the code UARK. Login with your University of Arkansas email address, and you will be directed to the QPR online training which will guide you through how to recognize warning signs of suicide, common myths and facts associated with suicide, tips for asking the suicide question, methods for persuading suicidal individuals to seek help, ways of referring at risk individuals to local resources.

According to the National Mental Health Association, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-age students, with an estimated 1,088 occurring on college campuses each year. With QPR training you can learn how to save the life of a student, friend, colleague, family member, or neighbor.

If you would like to have a personalized QPR training for your class, Greek house, faculty meeting, or RSO, please contact CAPS at 479-575-5276. Each attendee will receive a QPR booklet and card with information on suicide prevention, as well as resource information for treatment providers and support groups within their community. There will also be time at the end of the training for individualized Q&A.

University of Arkansas faculty and staff are in the unique position of detecting students in distress and offering assistance. Expressing compassionate concern could save an academic career or even a life, especially for struggling students who cannot or will not ask for help.  

Whether the context is in the academic world or a student’s life outside the classroom, faculty and staff can express their support through interactions and referrals that sustain a student’s well-being. 

Students exhibiting troubling behaviors are likely having difficulties in various settings, so say something if a student leaves you feeling worried, alarmed, or threatened.

CAPS is supported by the student health & wellness fee and does not provide counseling services to faculty and staff. However, faculty and staff can access services through the Employee Assistance Program. 

Faculty and staff can also access psychiatric care through Pat Walker Health Center Primary Care clinic. Psychiatry appointments can be scheduled by calling 479-575-4451.

To help streamline the process of finding a community mental health provider, CAPS also offers an online database of local providers: uark.miresource.com. MiResource is a search engine of mental health providers and is a resource offered to the campus community.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to view CAPS self-care webinars and workshops, as they offer excellent strategies to cope with common mental health concerns.

View Overview Presentation

Helpful Information 

Call 9-1-1 and you will be connected with appropriate service.

When a student:

  • Is a is in physical danger
  • Poses an imminent threat to themselves or others
  • Exhibits behavior that makes you feel unsafe

24-hour Emergency Mental Health services are also available by calling 479-575-5276.

Counseling & Psychological Services: 479-575-5276

  • Showing signs of anxiety and/or depression; distress

  • Suicidal and/or violent thoughts or behaviors

Substance Education, Assessment & Recovery: 479-575-2500

  • Alcohol and/or drug abuse
  • Seeking recovery support
  • Prevention and education resources

UA Cares: 479-575-5004

  • Personal tragedy or significant event that may impact a student’s ability to stay in school

  • When multiple issues impede student success

  • Activities or events that have an impact on safety of the campus community

  • Academic Difficulty

  • Missing one or more classes within the first two weeks of the term

  • Low or no engagement in the classroom

  • Isolation from other students

  • Poor performance early in the term

Reporting Concerns: report.uark.edu

  • UAPD 479-575-2222 (add link to website) https://uapd.uark.edu/

  • Sexual Assault or Domestic/Dating Violence

  • Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination, or Stalking

  • Discrimination or Discriminatory Harassment

  • Non-Emergency Safety Concerns and Threatening Behavior

  • Non-Emergency Student Concerns

  • Code of Student Life Violations

Sexual & Relationship Violence Center: 479-575-4000

  • Sexual assault

  • Dating or domestic violence

  • Gender-based harassment or bullying

  • Stalking

Title IX Office: 479-575-7111

  • Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.

  • The Title IX Coordinator oversees the university's compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Title IX Coordinator works with university administration, departments, students, faculty, staff, campus police and other support services to ensure that university policies and programs foster a campus community free of illegal gender discrimination and sexual violence.

  • For incidents of abuse or neglect of minors, Arkansas law requires reporting of abuse or neglect to the Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-482-5964) established by the Department of Human Services. University employees and volunteers must also report such instances to the University of Arkansas Police Department at 479-575-2222.

Full Circle Food Panty: 479-575-7693

  • For students who may experience food insecurity

Other Campus Resources/Links:

Indicators Something May Be Wrong

The ability to notice signs of distress in a student, and then having a conversation about that distress and staying safe, is a very important skill to have. Some signs are easier to spot than others, but being able to recognize when normal stress turns to distress — and knowing how to help — is vital in helping students succeed.

  • Sudden decline in quality of work and grades
  • Repeated absences
  • Disturbing content in writing or presentations (e.g., violence, death)
  • You find yourself doing more personal rather than academic counseling during office hours
  • Continuous classroom disruptions
  • Unprovoked anger or hostility
  • Making implied or direct threats to harm self or others
  • Academic assignments dominated by themes of extreme hopelessness, rage, worthlessness, isolation, despair, acting out, or suicidal ideations/violent behaviors
  • Family problems, financial difficulties, depression, grief, or thoughts of suicide
  • Excessive tearfulness, panic reactions, irritability, or unusual apathy
  • Verbal abuse (e.g., taunting, badgering, intimidation)
  • Expressions of concern about the student by peers
  • Marked changes in physical appearance including deterioration in grooming, hygiene, or weight loss/gain
  • Excessive fatigue/sleep disturbance
  • Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
  • Disoriented or “out of it”

Supporting Students in a Remote Learning Environment

Here are some FAQs to help faculty determine when students may need extra attention or a referral to campus resources. 

Be patient with your students, and with yourself. Expect technology glitches and problems, so you aren’t surprised by them.

Empathize with students’ frustrations while also providing reassurance that it will get better as time goes on.

This is a crucial concern. If, particularly after an initial period of adjustment, a student seems overly frustrated, overwhelmed, or distressed, take note. Encourage the student to speak with you during online office hours or seek assistance from other campus resources (see IT help portal) to resolve technology concerns or frustrations with the online environment. If concerns appear to be more personal in nature (i.e., difficulty setting up an appropriate learning environment from home, personal and financial struggles), suggest the student check in with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) located in the Pat Walker Health Center.

The Student Success Center provides tutoring, writing support and academic coaching through walk by appointment via the CLASS+ website. CLASS+ will also provide supplemental instruction through Blackboard Collaborate.

The Center for Educational Access (CEA) serves as the central campus resource for the University community in regards to students with disabilities and accommodations to remove barriers to access. CEA staff are working online or by other remote means, the best way to contact the CEA is by email at ada@uark.edu.

The Graduate Student and International Education (GSIE) has a Office of Graduate Student Support. You can learn more about this office here, or you can email gradsupport@uark.edu

Students with significant financial needs are encouraged to apply for The U of A Cares Student emergency funds, the application can be accessed by clicking here. Any questions regarding this application or funding should be directed to The Dean of Students office.

Reach out to the student first and invite them to meet with you during online office hours. Talk with them to try to uncover the issues possibly behind the behaviors so you can have a better idea of an appropriate referral.

A referral through UofACares is always a good idea if there is a general concern about student well-being or if you are uncertain about where the student may be best served. U of A Cares can refer students to any number of resources on campus.

In many respects, the same behaviors that concern you in a classroom environment continue to be concerning when learning remotely. Is a typically highly engaged student now seemingly disengaged? Are assignments late? Maybe the student has stopped showing up for instruction and is not attempting to engage you during office hours. Do they seem overly tired and now not interested in the course material? All of these changes may suggest that concerns are present or may be looming.

Increasingly withdrawn behaviors, expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness, loss of interest in previously important activities, drop in academic performance, abrupt changes in mood, indications of increased aggressiveness, and talk (even in a seemingly joking manner) of harming oneself could all be indicators of deeper, more serious concerns.

The more behaviors present, the greater the risk to the student. If you have concerns, particularly if the student is unresponsive to outreach attempts from you, contact UofACares .

The easiest way to submit a U of A Cares report is to visit their website and complete the data form regarding your concern.

While each UARK student is an important and integral part of our community, some students may be more vulnerable during this time. Awareness of such students may support our ability to more easily meet their needs.

  • Students with pre-existing mental and behavioral health concerns, such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse/dependence.

  • Graduating seniors who are grieving the abrupt loss and disruption of their anticipated "senior experience. “

  • Asian and Asian-American students who may be experiencing xenophobic and anti-Asian bias, stigmatization, discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping, etc.

  • International students due to travel related restrictions and potentially extended separations from family and friends.

  • Students who experience being in school and campus life as protective factors.

  • Students who struggle with loneliness and social isolation.

  • Students who are returning to family or home environments that may compromise their mental and emotional health, including domestic violence.

  • Students who may not have secure housing, food, wifi, or other essential resources for online and remote instruction.