USC monitors at-risk students
Committee of university officials keeps tabs on mentally troubled students.
Kate Mather
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: News
While many universities nationwide have recently formed threat assessment groups that monitor troubled students following the Virginia Tech shootings, USC has had a similar program in place for nearly two decades.
The Student Concerns Committee evaluates students who have been brought to the committee's attention and creates an individualized plan to help students and prevent danger to them or to others.
"We have a group, but we do not have a group that monitors people who are mentally ill," said Dr. Bradford King, director of counseling services. "It's much more an attempt to make sure we're all working together to make a network of safety for the student and others."
The committee has representatives from Residential and Greek Life, the Department of Public Safety, Student Affairs, the Center for Women and Men, the Counseling Center and Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards.
Representatives from these groups often mention students in the committee's weekly meetings if they have stood out for unusual or erratic behavior, King said.
"DPS might have reports on someone who might need counseling or therapy, for instance," King said. "The classic student is someone who has been seen as someone in trouble across three or four parts of the university - from their professors or Residential Advisors."
After a student has been brought up in meetings, the next step is for the committee to form an individualized plan of action depending on the actions and behavior of the student involved.
"If someone is referred to SJACS for a hearing, that would probably be it, but if it seems like a mental health issue, we would refer them to the counseling center," King said.
The mental health of college students nationwide has come under scrutiny after the recent campus shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech. Many experts have criticized Virginia Tech's lack of effort in helping gunman Seung-Hui Cho, who was ruled a danger to himself in a 2005 court hearing and, despite being ordered into outpatient treatment, only spent one night in a mental health center.
The Student Concerns Committee evaluates students who have been brought to the committee's attention and creates an individualized plan to help students and prevent danger to them or to others.
"We have a group, but we do not have a group that monitors people who are mentally ill," said Dr. Bradford King, director of counseling services. "It's much more an attempt to make sure we're all working together to make a network of safety for the student and others."
The committee has representatives from Residential and Greek Life, the Department of Public Safety, Student Affairs, the Center for Women and Men, the Counseling Center and Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards.
Representatives from these groups often mention students in the committee's weekly meetings if they have stood out for unusual or erratic behavior, King said.
"DPS might have reports on someone who might need counseling or therapy, for instance," King said. "The classic student is someone who has been seen as someone in trouble across three or four parts of the university - from their professors or Residential Advisors."
After a student has been brought up in meetings, the next step is for the committee to form an individualized plan of action depending on the actions and behavior of the student involved.
"If someone is referred to SJACS for a hearing, that would probably be it, but if it seems like a mental health issue, we would refer them to the counseling center," King said.
The mental health of college students nationwide has come under scrutiny after the recent campus shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech. Many experts have criticized Virginia Tech's lack of effort in helping gunman Seung-Hui Cho, who was ruled a danger to himself in a 2005 court hearing and, despite being ordered into outpatient treatment, only spent one night in a mental health center.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
zak allen
posted 4/07/08 @ 1:12 PM PST
This is a great idea. But it should also cover therapy, too. Sometimes students go through issues that are not necessary mental health issues but just need some kind of support. (Continued…)
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