““Responding to Difficult Responding to Difficult Students”Students”

COTL Presentation COTL Presentation August 28, 2007August 28, 2007

Mick Miyamoto, Ph. D.Mick Miyamoto, Ph. D.

Assistant Dean of StudentsAssistant Dean of Students

Jon Hageseth, Ph. D.Jon Hageseth, Ph. D.

Director, Counseling and TestingDirector, Counseling and Testing

Outline Outline

Difficult/Challenging BehaviorsDifficult/Challenging Behaviors Sharing some perspectivesSharing some perspectives Conduct Codes and LawsConduct Codes and Laws Practical SuggestionsPractical Suggestions ResourcesResources Questions and Hopefully AnswersQuestions and Hopefully Answers

Based on Your ExperiencesBased on Your Experiences

2 minute exercise2 minute exercise

Consider the following Consider the following profileprofile of a troubled of a troubled young adult, based on actual case history…young adult, based on actual case history…

Talked about suicide for weeks at a timeTalked about suicide for weeks at a time Reportedly wrote poetry about thrusting a dagger in his heart Reportedly wrote poetry about thrusting a dagger in his heart

and drawing blood in showersand drawing blood in showers Was known to “go crazy,” requiring the removal of knives and Was known to “go crazy,” requiring the removal of knives and

dangerous items from his roomdangerous items from his room Purchased opiates and cocainePurchased opiates and cocaine Wandered around with a gun during periods of suicidal ideationWandered around with a gun during periods of suicidal ideation Collapsed while speaking openly of his hopelessness and Collapsed while speaking openly of his hopelessness and

thoughts of suicidethoughts of suicide Was eventually diagnosed with “recurrent major depression.”Was eventually diagnosed with “recurrent major depression.”

Did you have a person like this in your class? Did you have a person like this in your class? So who was this “risk to himself and So who was this “risk to himself and society”? society”?

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln

Source: Webinar by Gary Pavela: www.magnapubs.com, 7/25/07

PredictabilityPredictability

Predicting violent behavior is very, very Predicting violent behavior is very, very difficult…especially without previous difficult…especially without previous violent behaviors, threats or gestures.violent behaviors, threats or gestures.

Suicide assessment scales have very Suicide assessment scales have very low predictive valuelow predictive value

No accurate or useful profile of the No accurate or useful profile of the school shooterschool shooter

Source: National Academy of ScienceSource: National Academy of Science

Suicide on Campus is Suicide on Campus is UncommonUncommon

Suicide Ideation….Suicide Ideation…. TEN PERCENT think about it (often)TEN PERCENT think about it (often) 1.5% will make a “gesture”1.5% will make a “gesture” 1,000 to 1 odds that one will actually 1,000 to 1 odds that one will actually

attempt with the intent to dieattempt with the intent to die Suicide is the 2Suicide is the 2ndnd leading cause of death leading cause of death

for 15-24 year olds.for 15-24 year olds. Mental Health IssuesMental Health Issues

Source: Paul Applebaum…and David MaysSource: Paul Applebaum…and David Mays

Lethal ShootingsLethal Shootings

9 incidents between 1966 and 9 incidents between 1966 and presentpresent

2.25 incidents every 10 years2.25 incidents every 10 years Not to minimize - WisconsinNot to minimize - Wisconsin Access to firearmsAccess to firearms AlcoholAlcohol

Violence & Mental HealthViolence & Mental Health

Relationship is similar to that between Relationship is similar to that between “violence” and “male gender”“violence” and “male gender”

American with Disabilities Act (ADA)American with Disabilities Act (ADA)““The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act

do NOT give students with disabilities a different standard for do NOT give students with disabilities a different standard for appropriate behavior. When institution officials determine appropriate behavior. When institution officials determine that a code of conduct has been violated, they can take that a code of conduct has been violated, they can take action as long as it is NOT BASED UPON THE STUDENT’S action as long as it is NOT BASED UPON THE STUDENT’S DISABILITIES.”DISABILITIES.”

Source: LRP Publications, 2005, Vol. 11, Issue 3, October 2005Source: LRP Publications, 2005, Vol. 11, Issue 3, October 2005

DisciplineDiscipline

Goss v. Lopez (1975)Goss v. Lopez (1975)

UWS Chapter 17UWS Chapter 17 - -4) (a) For conduct that 4) (a) For conduct that obstructs or seriously impairs or attempts to obstructs or seriously impairs or attempts to obstruct or seriously impair university-run or obstruct or seriously impair university-run or university-authorized activities, or that interferes university-authorized activities, or that interferes with or impedes the ability of a member of the with or impedes the ability of a member of the university community, or guest, to participate in university community, or guest, to participate in university-run or university-authorized activities. university-run or university-authorized activities.

((

UWS 17 cont…UWS 17 cont…b) Examples of the conduct prohibited under this b) Examples of the conduct prohibited under this

subsection include, but are not limited to: subsection include, but are not limited to: preventing or blocking physical entry to, or exit preventing or blocking physical entry to, or exit from, a university building, corridor or room; from, a university building, corridor or room; engaging in shouted interruptions, engaging in shouted interruptions, whistling, or similar means of interfering whistling, or similar means of interfering with a classroom presentation or a with a classroom presentation or a university-sponsored speech or programuniversity-sponsored speech or program; ; obstructing a university officer or employee obstructing a university officer or employee engaged in the lawful performance of duties; engaged in the lawful performance of duties; obstructing or interfering with a student engaged obstructing or interfering with a student engaged in attending classes or participating in university-in attending classes or participating in university-run or university-authorized activities; or run or university-authorized activities; or knowingly disrupting access to university knowingly disrupting access to university computing resources, or misusing university computing resources, or misusing university computing resources.computing resources.

UWS chapter 18UWS chapter 18

(30) DISORDERLY CONDUCT.  No (30) DISORDERLY CONDUCT.  No person may engage in violent, abusive, person may engage in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a tends to cause or provoke a disturbance, in university buildings or disturbance, in university buildings or on university lands. on university lands.

SuggestionsSuggestions

Personal SafetyPersonal Safety LaCrosse Police call 911LaCrosse Police call 911 University Police call 9-9999University Police call 9-9999

When should you call the police?When should you call the police?

Call if there is Imminent Call if there is Imminent DangerDanger

““Imminent Danger” - “Direct Threat” Imminent Danger” - “Direct Threat”

= = ““a high probability of substantial a high probability of substantial

harm….”harm….”

CALL UWL POLICE – CALL UWL POLICE –

789-9999 or 911!789-9999 or 911!

SuggestionsSuggestions

Personal SafetyPersonal Safety La Crosse Police call 911La Crosse Police call 911 University Police call 9-9999University Police call 9-9999 ConsultConsult

ConsultationsConsultations

Paula Knudson, Dean of Students – 785-8150Paula Knudson, Dean of Students – 785-8150 Office of Student Life, Mick Miyamoto or Marcia Office of Student Life, Mick Miyamoto or Marcia

Johnson Sage – 785-8062 Johnson Sage – 785-8062 ““On Call Staff” or Jon Hageseth, Counseling & On Call Staff” or Jon Hageseth, Counseling &

Testing– 785-8073Testing– 785-8073 June Reinert, Disability Resource Services – 785-June Reinert, Disability Resource Services – 785-

69006900 Scott Rohde, Chief University Police – 9-9000 Scott Rohde, Chief University Police – 9-9000

and/or 785-8711and/or 785-8711 Ingrid Peterson, Violence Prevention Advocate – Ingrid Peterson, Violence Prevention Advocate –

785-5126785-5126

SuggestionsSuggestions

Personal SafetyPersonal Safety La Crosse Police call 911La Crosse Police call 911 University Police call 9-9999University Police call 9-9999 ConsultConsult Talk with Student – CTC BrochureTalk with Student – CTC Brochure Refer Student, e.g. BITRefer Student, e.g. BIT

Concerned about a student?Concerned about a student?

Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) consists of staff from:consists of staff from:Office of Student LifeOffice of Student Life

Counseling and TestingCounseling and Testing

Student HealthStudent Health

Residence LifeResidence Life

Campus PoliceCampus Police

Other units may be called in when Other units may be called in when appropriateappropriate

What we learned from What we learned from the the

Virginia Tech tragedyVirginia Tech tragedy

FERPAFERPA

The Family Educational Rights & The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act does NOT…Privacy Act does NOT…

Prohibit sharing between those Prohibit sharing between those who have a legitimate educational who have a legitimate educational interest/goalinterest/goal

Q&AQ&A

Ms. June Reinert Disability Resource Services785-6900

Mr. Scott RohdeChief of Campus Police789-9000