The Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team is a cross-campus team, designed to identify and engage in situations where individuals appear distressed, disruptive, or disturbing. The CARE Team’s mission is to provide a safe living and learning environment through collaboration, information gathering, investigation, and risk assessment.
CARE Team members include Campus Security, Wayne Police Department, Counseling Center, Office of Residence Life, and Student Services representatives.
What to do: Recognize, Respond, Refer, Report
Recognize signs of student distress
Students may exhibit one or more of the behaviors noted below:
- An incident and/or confrontation occurs that disrupts usual tasks of the classroom or other parts of campus
- A person appears confused or lost, seems unaware of their surroundings
- Loss of interest in previously important activities
- Less care about personal appearance than typical for that person
- Recent drop in grades, missed classes, late assignments
- Unruliness and/or disrespect toward others that may be disjointed, odd, or unusual
- Talking or writing about suicide or intended violence toward others
- Abrupt changes and/or swings in mood, e.g. angry to withdrawn
- Attending class under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs
Respond directly
Respond directly to students in a non-judgmental manner, listening to student’s concerns.
Refer students for help
Learn your limits as a caregiver. Refer students to the Counseling Center (Student Center, Room 103, 402-375-7321) for mental health issues.
Report a student of concern
If it is an emergency, call 911. Emergencies include:
- Medical situations where individual has loss of consciousness, seizure, etc.
- Behavioral event when student poses an immediate threat to self or others.
If you have questions or are unsure, contact Campus Security at 402-375-7216. Their phone number is answered 24/7. If Campus Security is not available to answer the phone, calls roll over to the Wayne Police Department Dispatch.
Reporting non-emergencies by any of the following:
- Report non-emergency concerns using the online form here
- Call the Vice President for Student Affairs at 402-375-7213 during standard office hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday)
- Call Campus Security at 402-375-7216 after hours
Provide as much information as possible when you report. Regardless of the route followed to report, whether you contact 911, Campus Security, or file an online report, each reporting method requires the same information:
- Student, employee, or other’s name and ID (if known)
- Brief factual description of the incident or behavior
- Direct quotes whenever possible
- Where and when the incident occurred
- Names and contact information of witnesses
- Your name, position, and complete contact information
- Include all emails or other information available, e.g., Facebook screen shots
- Save voice recordings, text messages, emails, or other electronic messages
What happens after a report is filed?
Reports to the CARE Team are handled confidentially, with respect for privacy and for the purpose of assisting the student, faculty, or staff person named.
Online reports are submitted to the CARE Team via email. For reports that require immediate attention, the CARE Team convenes immediately to develop an appropriate response. Non-emergency referrals are discussed during regular CARE Team meetings. The regular meetings allow each part of the team to react in a timely manner to campus issues.
Action steps following a report:
- CARE Team members will review the incident
- Additional information may be requested from the reporter and/or witnesses
- CARE Team members assess threat to the campus
- Appropriate intervention is determined and/or action is taken
- Feedback is provided (when appropriate and in keeping with state and federal guidelines)