Students in Distress – Faculty and OAA Guide

Students in the College and Physical Sciences Division may come to you as a trusted resource if they are experiencing distress to seek advice or other resources. This guide provides at-a-glance information about resources and next steps if a distressed student reaches out to you.

Signs of Student Distress and Next Steps

Level of Distress

Examples of Signs of Distress

Next Steps

Generalized distress

New academic struggles, poor attendance, noticeable changes in behavior or appearance, social withdrawal, lower quality of research work.

Discuss concerns with student in a kind, non-judgmental way;
Offer to share campus resources with the student.

For undergraduates, you can also reach out to the student’s assigned Academic Adviser directly using the hyperlinked email address in Faculty Access, or contact collegeadvising@uchicago.edu;
Additionally, please consider using the “DOS Alert” feature next to each student’s name in your course roster on Faculty Access. The Dean of Students’ Office will be notified and someone will be in touch with you. Categories are available to flag the type of challenge the student is facing. 

Acute distress

Severe anxiety, substance abuse, significant sleep issues, feelings of helplessness, thoughts about self-harm or suicide, inability to respond to outreach from faculty or staff, social isolation.

Discuss your concerns with the PSD Dean of Students, Bahareh Lampert, right away.
Email: blampert1@uchicago.edu
Phone: (773) 702-8790

For undergraduates, contact the Dean on Call right away at (773) 702-8181 and indicate you are seeking the Dean on Call.

Emergency

Student shares that they intend to harm/kill themselves or someone else, makes plans to harm themselves or others, engages in self-harm.

Contact the Dean on Call right away at (773) 702-8181 and indicate you are seeking the Dean on Call.

For graduate students, also notify the PSD Dean of Students right away.

Best practices when notifying Dean of Students/Campus Partners

Students in distress who come to you view you as a trusted person in their life. If the student’s concerns rise to a level where you need to notify the PSD Dean of Students Office, the Dean of Students in the College, or another campus partner, we encourage you to let the student know you are notifying trustworthy resources in an effort to help connect them with support they need.

Divisional Resources

If you are concerned about a graduate student’s well-being, you can reach out to the Dean of Students, Bahareh Lampert, to share your concerns. Bahareh is available to advise on next steps, identify resources, and work collaboratively with you to provide support to the student. Bahareh can be reached at (773) 702-8790 or blampert1@uchicago.edu.

Mental Health Resources

  • Counseling appointments: Students can call (773) 834-9355 to schedule an appointment with a therapist.
  • TimelyCare: Virtual 24/7 counseling sessions with a licensed mental health care provider.
  • Let’s Talk: Drop-in therapy sessions, no appointment needed.
  • Therapist-on-Call: Available 24/7. Students needing to speak to a mental health professional immediately can call (773) 702-3625.
  • Dean-on-Call: If a student is experiencing a mental health emergency, contact the Dean-on-Call at (773) 702-8181.

Financial Wellness Resources

Safety Resources