Our goal in the Office of Student Life and Engagement is to help students be successful and reach their full potential, and encourage them to learn valuable life skills through their participation inside and outside of their classrooms. As mentors and advisors, our staff seeks to serve as your campus advocate and provide assistance with managing a crisis, understanding campus policies and procedures, and assisting you in locating the appropriate university resource.
The team receives, and acts upon, reported incidents of behavior on the part of any member of the campus community that creates concern about the individual’s well-being or that of others. These concerns may include, but are not limited to: academic deficiencies; mental or medical issues; family, personal, or transitional struggles; and/or conduct. Team members evaluate the information received, undertake further investigation as needed, and determine the appropriate intervention strategies.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that the community member can be successful at Ferrum College and that at all times, the campus community is safe. The team will always work in the best interest of the community.
The purpose of the following is to inform students of the general internal complaint system at Ferrum College and to serve as a guide for students who wish to file a complaint about any aspect of Ferrum’s operation, policies, or procedures, or about the actions of any student, visitor, or employee of Ferrum College. Students should also consult the procedures set forth in Special Campus Policies when filing a complaint for sexual harassment or assault or for discrimination or harassment based on a protected characteristic such as race or sexual orientation.
In the Office of Student Life we are committed to helping you navigate Ferrum College. We care, we advocate, and we can refer you to campus and community partners. We want to help you succeed in class and life. We encourage you to maximize your educational experience, and we prepare you for involvement in the larger community and life beyond college. Additionally, we aim to empower you to overcome obstacles and to assist in resolving issues. This section can help you help yourself, your student, or your friend in their path to graduation!
Being away at college can be a stressful time for anyone. Stress may stem from family, classes, responsibilities on campus, friend conflict, relationship issues, etc. Sometimes we can cope without too much anxiety or interference, but other times stress may cause significant problems or concerns. At times, you may find that, while you are coping with stress effectively, your friends are not.There are general warning signs to look for if someone is struggling:
What to Do:
Even if your friend does not want to talk with anyone, many of the behaviors listed above can be signs of crisis or distress. Reach out to the Office of Student Life for a consultation – you can make a difference for your friend.
We know that the transition from high school to college can be a challenge for both students and their families. Though it is always our preference to empower students in their growth toward independence to seek assistance themselves, we know that family members often have questions about the College or concerns about their student that they wish to share. We are pleased to have the opportunity help you navigate through issues as you help your student. If you cannot find what you need on this page, please email or call us and we will do what we can to help.
General information
Campus Resources
There are general warning signs to look for if someone is struggling:
What to Do:
Even if your student does not want to talk with anyone, many of the behaviors listed above can be signs of crisis or distress. Reach out to the Office of Student Life for a consultation.
Our mission is the same all across campus—we want our students to be successful! In every department from academics to dining to housekeeping to alumni, we want to give students the best chance at being successful as a student here and each and every one of us has chances to impact that. We all know the best way to do that is as a Ferrum Family. Thank you for all you do to support and advocate for our students every day.
You may be the first to notice a student who is experiencing difficulty or the first person a student turns to on campus. What we need you to do:
Often, there are indicators that a student is experiencing distress long before a situation escalates to a crisis. A crisis is a situation in which an individual’s usual style of coping is no longer effective, and the emotional or physiological response begins to escalate. As emotions intensify, coping becomes less effective, until the person may become disoriented or nonfunctional or attempt harm.
All of us experience life’s “ups and down,” but significant distress experienced over a period of time may suggest a more serious problem. There are different levels of distress and these can be represented through a continuum. How you go about helping a student will depend on several factors: their level of distress, the nature of your relationship, the type of setting you are in and your comfort level.
Examples of Academic Indicators:
Examples of Behavioral/Emotional Indicators
Examples of Physical Indicators
Examples of Other Indicators
How to Help
If mild/moderate distress:
If severe distress:
If you choose to talk with the student, here are some tips:
Other Resources:
The Care Report Form is a way for families, friends, former mentors, and others who love and care about our students to let us know when they see that their student is struggling or when something happens at home that may impact their student on campus. Often, you will have information that we could use to help strategize and connect to help our students be as successful as possible. We thank you for sharing information with us and partnering with us to work towards our students health, well-being, and success.
The Incident Communication Form can be utilized to report any behaviors of concern to the appropriate individuals at Ferrum College including but not limited to: potential violations of the Student Handbook; complaints; concerns related to possible violations of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Sexual Misconduct, and Title IX Policy such as gender-based discrimination, dating violence, domestic violence, hostile work environment, sexual assault, nonconsensual sexual contact, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, stalking, retaliation, or other forms of sexual misconduct; and general behavioral concerns regardless of whether they occur on campus or off. Please note that submitting this report is not considered filing a complaint.
Filing a report is NOT appropriate if the student or situation requires immediate attention or there is an emergency of any kind. Instead, please call 911 or the Ferrum College Police Department at (540) 365-4444.
Important Additional Information
If a current student poses a threat of harm to self or others, please call the Ferrum College Police Department immediately at (540) 365-4444.
Reports will be reviewed within one (1) business day; however, these reports are not reviewed outside of business hours (Monday – Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.) or during holiday breaks.
Once the report has been reviewed, a clearly defined level of protocol is used to determine the most appropriate steps.
We will follow up with the person(s) who submit reports only when additional information is needed.
If you have submitted a report and have more information to share or questions, please call us at (540) 365-4461.
The Office of Student Life is designed to be a way to help connect current students with the resources to help support them. Common reasons for a referral can include, but are not limited to the following:
Mission: The student accountability process will support Ferrum’s mission by developing and upholding college standards with cooperation from students, faculty, and partners in order to promote accountability and student development.
Vision/Purpose: The student accountability process approaches student conduct from an educational, developmental, and restorative perspective. Inherent in the College’s accountability process is the commitment to serve, equally, all involved parties in an unbiased and fair manner.
When a student has their rights violated and/or fails to meet prescribed responsibilities, as in society at large, consequences will follow. Our process is commissioned with the task of detailing the rights and responsibilities of students, reviewing cases involving disciplinary matters, and, when necessary, imposing sanctions for violations in accordance with the policies laid out in the Student Handbook.
Things to Remember:
The College and its Student Accountability Process:
The Student Accountability Process is a part of the educational process. Since it is intended to be an educational experience and not a court of law, neither the College nor a student may bring an attorney as an advocate to a meeting, case review, or Review Panel.
When a student violates a Community Standard, they are expected to accept responsibility for their actions and the consequences that result from the behavior. Students have the responsibility for reading and understanding the Ferrum College Student Handbook and following all Community Standards and Residence Hall Policies. The official version of the Ferrum College Student Handbook can be found online.
Certain rights are afforded to every member of the Ferrum College student body. These rights include:
The individuals implementing the Student Accountability Process are pledged to maintain a balance between individual and institutional integrity. The accountability process is closed to the public.
All violations of Ferrum College Community Standards, Special Campus Policies, and Residence Hall Policies will be handled through the Student Accountability Process, unless otherwise noted. Academic violations are handled through the Honor Board. Sexual misconduct violations are handled through the Title IX process.
The establishment, interpretation, and enforcement of Community Standards, Special Campus Policies, and Residence Hall Policies are designed to assist students as members of the Ferrum College community in the realization of educational goals, and to assist in providing an environment in which every student may achieve their highest potential. Accountability actions vary according to the situation and the person(s) involved.
The accountability history of an individual student remains active throughout their enrollment at Ferrum College. Thus, violations carry over from semester to semester and may have an impact on determining appropriate sanctions after a decision of responsibility has been rendered in reviewing a subsequent incident.
An overview of policies, procedure, and sanctions can be found in the Student Handbook.
