Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at The University of Chicago

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Learn About OMSA

One on One Topics of Discussion

For 1st Year Students


If your mentee is a 1st year student, their spring focus should be on internships and focused summers.

Things to Do and Discuss:

For 2nd Year Students


If your mentee is a 2nd student, their spring focus should be on career exploration.

Things to Do and Discuss:


For 3rd Year Students


If your mentee is a 3rd year student, their spring focus should be on developing and creating a resume and/or preparing for graduate/professional school.

 

Things to Do and Discuss:

For 4th Year Students

4th year mentees will need a lot of support around completing their college requirements and preparing to take the next step!

Things to Do and Discuss:

 

Counseling Related Resources


We at CMC understand that students can often feel overwhelmed or anxious in the University of Chicago environment. Though mentors are expected to be aware of the general well-being of their mentees, CMC does not expect you to take on the responsibilities of a professional therapist. We have provided information gathered from Student Counseling and Resource Services (SCRS) to help you increase your awareness the emotional health of your mentee. In addition to these tools, we would like you to keep us informed of any concerns that you may have regarding your mentee. Please do not hesitate to visit or contact either the CMC Team or SCRS if you believe there is cause for serious concern.

Student Counseling and Resource Services (SCRS)
5737 S. University Ave Hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday

(773) 702-9800 (regular phone/daytime emergencies)
(773) 702-3625 (after-hours emergencies)

Website: http://counseling.uchicago.edu/index.shtml


Therapist on Call 702-3625


GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH DISTRESSED MENTEES:

There are no absolutely correct procedures for dealing with a distressed student. Each mentor has his or her own style for approaching and responding to his or her mentee. People have different capacities to deal with others' problems. It is important to be aware of your limits. The following guidelines will help you in dealing with a mentee in distress:

1. Schedule an appointment with your mentee in a private place. This will help to facilitate frank and honest conversation about what issues may be on your mentee's mind, and do NOT share any information with other mentors or mentees.

2. Speak directly and honestly to a student if you sense he or she is in distress. You want to gather as much information as possible before making a referral.

3. Ask if your mentee is talking to anyone-family, friends, a therapist. Oftentimes individuals who are overwhelmed or depressed tend to isolate themselves, usually to the detriment of their emotional health.

4. Express your concern in behavioral, nonjudgmental terms. For example, "I've noticed that you been missing appointments lately, and I'm concerned," rather than "Where have you been? You seem unconcerned about your progress."

5. Listen to thoughts and feelings in a sensitive, non-threatening way. Communicate understanding by repeating back the essence of what your mentee has told you. Try to include both content and feeling ("It sounds like you're not accustomed to this much work in so short a period of time and you're worried about failing.")

6. Avoid judging, evaluating, and criticizing-even if your mentee asks your opinion. It is important to respect your mentee's value system, even if you don't agree with it.

7. Behavior that is strange or inappropriate should not be ignored. Comment directly on what you have observed. If you are concerned about a mentee's suicide potential, keep in mind that mental health professionals assess suicide potential, in part, by asking if the student has a precise plan for how they would act on any suicidal thoughts. This plan would include details about when and where the mentee would carry it out. Mental health professionals also assess potential based on whether or not an individual has ever attempted suicide before. The more specific and lethal the plan, the fact of having made a previous suicide attempt, and the greater the ability to carry out the plan, the higher risk that a suicide will occur. Please do not be afraid to ask these questions. For people who are considering suicide, these questions will not furnish them with new ideas. Most people who are actively suicidal are willing to answer these questions. Conversely, many people consider suicide from time to time in passing. The less specific and lethal the plan (e.g., "I guess I'd take a couple of sleeping pills sometime"), the less likely a suicide attempt, although one should not dismiss references to seemingly non-lethal means of attempting suicide.

REFERRAL GUIDE FOR MENTORS[2]:

We understand that mentors do not always have the ‘inside' information on their mentees. However, as a mentor you may observe telling behavior. Please pay careful attention to your mentee, especially if you notice any of the following signs. They are designed to help you assess whether or not you should refer your mentee to SCRS:

1. Changes in mood, appearance or behavior:

Deterioration of hygiene or appearance and behavior may be indicators of distress. An uncharacteristic need for attention, outbursts of anger, crying, extreme levels of activity or conversations that do not make sense could indicate psychological difficulties. Threatening or aggressive behavior requires intervention.

2. Traumatic changes in personal relationships:

The death of a family member or close friend, difficulties in important relationships, a divorce or break-up or changes in family responsibilities are often contributors to student stress. If you are aware of such a problem, you might want to initiate a conversation with your mentee.

3. Drug and alcohol abuse:

Coming to a meeting while intoxicated or high is a serious sign of alcohol abuse. Individuals often use drugs or alcohol as ‘escapism'-help coping with psychological difficulties. Please do not underestimate the gravity of such problems; there may be more than juvenile recklessness contributing to this behavior.

4. Academic difficulties:

Students whose academic performance declines to a noticeable degree may be feeling overwhelmed in other areas of their lives.

5. Learning Problems:

Third and fourth year students may find their coursework more difficult as they move into a more specialized curriculum. If your mentee is exhibiting a great discrepancy between his or her ability and academic performance, it may be related to poor study habits, text anxiety or a previously undiagnosed learning disability. Please contact the Academic Skills Assessment Program, which is equipped to help students with these problems.

6. References to suicide:

If a student talks or writes about suicide, this should be taken very seriously. Thoughts of suicide are not necessarily dangerous, but they may indicate that your mentee is overwhelmed or depressed. To assume that talk of suicide is intended solely to get attention is risky and can be a regrettable mistake. If you become aware of a mentee who is thinking about suicide, please contact SCRS. You can call for a consultation if you are unsure how to intervene or if the student is reluctant to take your referral.

7. Leaving School:

There are several solid reasons for wanting to leave the University of Chicago, or transfer to another institution. Nevertheless, you might consider a referral to SCRS. There may be a number of issues in play, and a change in venue might not be the best course of action for your mentee.


WHEN TO MAKE A REFERRAL[3]:

Even though you may be sincerely concerned about your mentee, you may find yourself incapable of helping them. In such situations it is better to refer them to SCRS. Circumstances that may warrant a referral are:


-The problem is more serious than you are comfortable handling.
-You are extremely busy.
-You are experiencing stress in your own life.
-You are unable or unwilling to handle other requests for help.
-You have talked to your mentee and helped as much as you can, but further assistance is necessary.
-You think your personal feelings about the mentee will interfere with your objectivity.
-Your mentee admits that there is a problem, but doesn't want to talk to you about it.
-Your mentee asks for information or assistance that you are unable to provide.


Please let your mentee know your reasons for seeking a referral and express your concern and support for their seeking the proper resources to address their state of emotional health. If your mentee is reluctant to seek professional health, please reassure your mentee that therapists at SCRS works with people with a wide range of concerns. Problems need not be crises for students to benefit from counseling. Normalizing the process of seeking help may be especially helpful to students whose cultural contexts may not have similar opinions about psychiatric counseling. If you are comfortable doing so, it might help to share with your mentee any positive counseling experiences that you may have had. Also, let your mentee know that they can speak to a therapist at SCRS on a one time basis, and that any information given to SCRS is confidential and cannot be disclosed to you, parents, faculty/staff, or other University officials without written permission. If the student has already sought counseling and was unsatisfied, encourage him or her to give it another try. Oftentimes, the therapist-patient dynamic is vital to successful counseling, and students may feel more comfortable with another counselor. If your mentee remains reluctant and you are still uncomfortable with the situation, please contact SCRS.

APPOINTMENT PROCESS: Should a mentee inquire about the appointment process at SCRS, please keep the following procedure handy: Students should make their own appointments between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm,
Monday - Friday.

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[1] Adapted from SCRS website http://counseling.uchicago.edu/resources/referrals/page5.shtml
[2] Adapted from the SCRS website http://counseling.uchicago.edu/resources/referrals/page4.shtml
[3] Adapted from SCRS website http://counseling.uchicago.edu/resources/referrals/page6.shtml

 

Important Numbers

University of Chicago Academic & Administrative Staff Contacts

Campus Operators-702-1234
Vice President & Dean of Students in the University-834-0174
College Advisors-702-8615
Student Ombudsperson-702-8422

Area Deans of Students

Biological Sciences: Nancy Schwartz 2-1939
Humanities: Tom Thuerer 2-3636
Physical Sciences: Rick Hefley 2-8789
Social Sciences: Patrick Hall 2-8415
College: Susan Art 2-8615
Graduate School of Business: Ann Harvilla 2-8150
Divinity School: Teresa Owens 2-8217
Harris School: Ellen Cohen 4-0136
Law School: Michelle Richardson 2-3955
Medical School: Holly Humphrey 2-1939
Social Service Administration: Penny Johnson 2-1126
Associate Provost: Aneesah Ali 2-5671

Health & Wellness

EMERGENCY & MEDICAL RESOURCES

The following information has been provided for you in case of emergency situations arising in regards to your mentee. Please do not hesitate to use any of these resources.


• University Police:

Dial 123 from any campus phone Dial 702-1818 off-campus
Use any blue emergency phones around Hyde Park area
Students can call University Police for urgent situations, or to request an “umbrella” service escort when traveling late on foot (The service is available until 2 am). University Police can also summon an ambulance, the fire department, and city police officials if needed.


• Help Hotline:

773-834-HELP or http://help.uchicago.edu
This is the most comprehensive resource in this packet. By dialing this number you and your mentee have access to University Police, the Dean-on-Call, the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline, the Suicide Hotline, the Student Care Center, and many other emergency resources.


• Late Night Van Service 702-2022
• Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline - 24hr 1-888-293-2080
• Domestic Violence Hotline - 24hr 1-877-863-6338
• Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) 312-836-7000
• Sexual Harassment Website: http://www.uchicago.edu/sexualharassment/
• Suicide Hotline – 24 hr. 1-800-999-9999 Covenant House 9-line is a national toll-free suicide hotline for both distressed students and friends and family members. Anyone who answers the line is trained to deal with emergency situations.
• Dean-on-Call 2-8181 or 4-HELP

• Unlawful Harassment Complaint Advisors:


Eleanor Arnold, Law School LBQ 501 2-6769
Ana Campos, Undergrad. Housing 5525 Ellis, 180 2-7366
Raymond Ciacci, Graham School 1427 60th, 2nd Fl 2-2047
Heidi Coleman, Univ. Theater RC 304 4-9153
Shelley Fried, Facilities Young, 3rd Fl 4-1324
Colleen Grogan, SSA SSA E9 4-3907
Dwight Hopkins, Divinity School S 304 4-0006
John Laseman, College HM 264 2-9483
Alice Lloyd, UHRM Ing 302 2-2318
Jigna Shah, ORCSA INH 2-3343
Patricia Shymanski, BSD AMB O-104 5-5413
Ana Vazquez, OMSA Adm 203 2-2724
Sheila Yarbrough, VPDOS Adm 234 2-7773

• Civility Website (civility.uchicago.edu):

Contains information on reporting incidents in which students feel they’ve experienced harassment or discrimination as a member of the University community. Site includes university policies, how to report, and supportive resources.

Medical Information

The following contact information is provided in case your mentee should need emergency medical attention.

• Physician-on-Call 702-6840
• Student Care Center 702-4156

The Student Care Center (SCC) is equipped to handle non-emergency medical situations. It is located in R-100 of the University of Chicago Medical Center.

• ER-Mitchell Hospital 702-6250

For emergency situations, the Mitchell Hospital ER is located at 901 East 58th Street at Drexel.

• Sexually Transmitted Disease Hotline - 24hr 1-800-227-8922
• Morning-After-Pill Hotline - 24hr 1-888-668-2528