Attending university is an exciting and dynamic experience that can include making lifelong friends, engaging in exciting intellectual pursuits, and participating in the campus community.  It is a time to grow in self-awareness and to develop a sense of adult identity. It may also be a time of great stress. Balancing family, work, financial and other obligations may tax a student's coping skills and may lead to physical and emotional distress and academic failure.

Slippery Rock University is a caring campus community committed to supporting our students not just academically, but emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  If you observe a student in a situation where additional support may be needed you can make a Care Referral to Student Support.  Once we receive the information we can work with the student to coordinate resources and referrals that may ensure student has the opportunity to be successful.

Students, faculty, staff and community members can submit a Care referral for the following situations:

• Student will be missing class and needs an absence notification to be sent
• Student has been or will be hospitalized
• Student has become physically ill
• Student is experiencing emotional distress
• Student is having trouble adjusting to campus life/online work or is having angry outbursts
• Student is experiencing housing insecurity or unsafe housing environment
• Student is experiencing food insecurity or lack of adequate food
• Student is experiencing a financial emergency or cannot obtain basic needs due to financial issues
• Student is isolating from friends/class/work
• Student has experienced or been accused of dating/domestic violence, sexual misconduct (Rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment), stalking or harassment
• Student is expressing suicidal thoughts or ideations or engaging in self harm
• Student needs support with personal, social or emotional wellness/development
• If your efforts to manage a significant classroom behavioral issue has not resolved the problem
• If you are concerned about the welfare of a student, yourself, and/or other students
• If a student asks for help in dealing with personal issues that are outside your role as a faculty or staff member
• If you have referred the student for assistance in the past and there seems to be no improvement or things seem to be worsening

Care referrals are not intended to be emergency services, if someone is in immediate danger or is an immediate danger to themselves please contact University Police 724.738.3333; Student Health Services 724.738.2052 or 911.

If you know of a student who could benefit from these services, please submit a Care referral or call the Student Support office at 724.738.2121. 

What About Confidentiality? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not prohibit the sharing of personal observations and knowledge about a student among campus officials when there is a legitimate concern related to campus safety.