CARE Team

This support is focused on the academic and personal success of the student as well as the safety of the campus community.

The CARE team also serves as a resource to the campus community who may have questions about how to deal with a particular situation. If you are concerned about the physical or emotional wellbeing of a student in any way, please let the CARE team know by completing the CARE Form.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

Behavior in the Classroom

• Argumentative, angry, disrespectful, or non-complainant
• Frequent and continued cross-talk and/or technology misuse
• Social isolation or odd behavior, and/or poor boundaries
• Threatening (direct or indirect) behavior or speech
• Lack of attention, motivation, or focus
• Sense of hopelessness or desperation
• Excessive absence

**The presence of more than one of these increases the level of concern**

Behavior Around Campus

• Frequent arguments with others
• Teasing or bullying (receiving or giving)
• Explosive or impulsive behavior
• Social withdrawal or inappropriate boundaries
• Excessive alcohol or drug use
• Sexually harassing or aggressive behavior
• Threats (either verbal or physical)
• Argumentative with authority

**The presence of more than one of these increases the level of concern**

Resources

Resources for Students, Faculty and Staff

Complete a CARE form

Because the CARE team receives information from across campus, all community members are encouraged to report any behavior that is concerning. It is best to report anyone who is acting out of character or unusual. The ultimate goal of the CARE team is to connect the student to resources as quickly as possible. The sooner we are aware of a possible issue, the sooner we can connect the student with appropriate supports.

All reports are reviewed by one or more members of the CARE team (often within 24 hours). Depending on the information received, a CARE team member may contact the person who submitted to report with a request for any clarification or update (please know that the student’s rights as protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act will be ensured at all times; as a result, team members may not be able to fully share). Any person who submits a report to the CARE team who has a question about its status should direct questions to Dr. John Jobson, chair of the CARE team, 616.395.7800.

The CARE team meets on a regular basis to review reports and undergo training. Additionally, individual team members may engage the services of appropriate professionals on-campus and off as appropriate in order to provide necessary support for the unique needs of students.

Confidentiality

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not prohibit the sharing of personal observations and knowledge about a student among college officials when there is a legitimate educational need to know or a concern for campus safety.

Responding to a disruptive student

If you feel that your safety or that of the student is in imminent danger, please contact Campus Safety at 616.395.7770 immediately.

Faculty and staff have the right to prevent disruptive students from interfering in their right to teach and the right of the other students to learn. To this end, faculty and staff may ask a student to refrain from certain behaviors in the classroom or office, require a student to meet with them or, when necessary, ask a disruptive student to leave the classroom or office area. In most situations, behavior that requires a student to be removed from (or asked to leave due to disruption) a class or office should be reported to the CARE team.

If a student is asked to leave a class or office area because of his or her disruptive behavior and the student refuses, the faculty or staff member should determine whether it is possible to continue the class or the office to function. If the student appears violent or dangerous, the faculty or staff member should contact Campus Safety at 616.395.7770 or ask someone else to place the call. If a class or office staff must be dismissed because of the behavior of a student, please contact the CARE Team.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to avoid confronting angry students in a manner which may escalate the potential for violent behavior. Meeting with an angry student after class is usually preferable to confronting the student in front of classroom of students. Please inform the CARE team of students with emotional management concerns to better enable a sense for the behavior as an isolated incident or part of a larger pattern.

Resources for Parents or Guardians

Complete a CARE form

While the transition to Hope from high school does mean that your student is now the main point of contact by the institution (as they are now legally considered an adult), know that your role as a valuable partner is far from over. Please help us to help your student “find their voice” and use their voice in appropriate ways.

During your student’s time at Hope, there may be some occasions where there are some challenges. The CARE team is here to help.

Homesickness

Many students experience feelings of homesickness upon first arriving at college. The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office (616.395.7945) offers free resources for students on a host of wellness topics including surviving homesickness. CAPS is staffed by fully licensed therapists and clinicians and is free to degree-seeking Hope students. Additionally, if you would like a staff member in Residential Life to follow up with your student, please fill out the CARE team form.

Completing schoolwork from home

If your student needs to come home due to an emergency, he or she will need to contact their instructors and let them know of the emergency. If the student is unable to contact their instructors, the student (using their Hope email) should contact Student Development at sdev@hope.edu. If the student is unavailable, please use the CARE team form. Contacting Student Development or the CARE team will allow for the student’s instructors to be notified and any other necessary arrangements to be made.

Hospitalization

By completing a CARE team form, two things will occur:

First, your student’s instructors will be alerted that your student will be out of class.

Second, a member of the CARE team or Student Development will follow-up with you in order to gain additional information regarding the situation and explore additional ways that Hope may offer support.

Concerns about someone at Hope

If your student believes there is an immediate concern for their safety or the safety of others, please call Campus Safety at 616.395.7770. If safety is not an immediate concern, please fill out a CARE team form describing the individual's behavior.

Failing classes

Please encourage your student to communicate with their instructors in order to see what their options are. The instructor may have suggestions (e.g., tutoring, help sessions, etc.). Other excellent resources available at Hope include the Klooster Center for Writing Excellence and the Academic Success Center. If you would like to have a staff member follow-up with your student, please fill out the CARE team form describing the situation.

Depression or Anger

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), 616.395.7945, is a free service available to all degree seeking students at Hope. Please let your student know about this resource. You may also want to fill out a CARE team form for your student so that a staff member may follow-up with them and encourage them to use the appropriate resources with the Hope community.

What happens when a CARE form is submitted?

1. A CARE form is submitted anytime a member of the Hope community is concerned about a Hope student (If you are not sure whether to submit a CARE form, here is a list of questions that may help).
   
   Any member of the Hope community is welcome to submit a CARE Form or contact a member of the CARE Team directly. Upon submission of the CARE Form, the person who submits the form will receive an email message confirming the successful completion of the form. This indicates that the CARE process is underway for the student.
   
   The CARE Form will be reviewed the next business day. (In the case of an emergency, please contact Campus Safety at 616.395.7770 or Ottawa County Central Dispatch at 911.) The CARE team is committed to supporting the student’s ability to flourish at Hope.
   
   
2. A member of the CARE Team will either reach out directly to the student or facilitate a connection between the student and the appropriate campus resource, depending on the nature of the issue.
   
   The student will be contacted and invited to engage in a supportive conversation.
   
   
3. The student is offered an opportunity to meet with a member of the CARE team or appropriate campus resource.
   
   The goal of the conversation is to establish rapport with the student, provide the best resources, and establish a plan of action with the student.
   
   *NOTE: In certain cases, students may be required to meet with members of the CARE Team if they are exhibiting higher-level signs of disruptive behavior (e.g., harm to others, substance abuse).
   
   
4. If no additional concerns are presented during the conversation with the student and the issue is resolved, the CARE form is considered closed.

Request a CARE Presentation

CARE Team Members

Depending on the nature of the situation, other colleagues may be consulted. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Academic Success Center
• International Education
• Financial Aid
• Center for Diversity and Inclusion
• Title IX Coordinator
• Business Services