Brown Bag Lunch Series on The Crossroads of Student Success: Academics, Wellness and Engagement
Fall 2015 Schedule
All lunches are from 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. in Hanes Hall Room 239
September 11 The UNC Student Care Team: A New Approach to Supporting Students of Concern
with Desirée Rieckenberg, Senior Associate Dean & Director, Office of the Dean of Students and Dawna Jones, Student Assistance Coordinator, Office of the Dean of Students
UNC, through the Office of the Dean of Students, has launched the Student Care Team (Care Team) this fall. Care teams, sometimes called behavior intervention teams, are a national best practice that deploys a multi-disciplinary, early intervention approach to identifying and supporting students of concern. Students of concern may demonstrate behavior including, but not limited to threats of self-harm, emotional or physical outbursts, extreme or sudden changes in mood or behavior, traumatic experiences (including sexual assault, surviving a crime, losing a friend or family member), excessive or uncharacteristic decline in coursework and course attendance, excessive alcohol or other drug usage, difficulty with adjustment to campus life, etc. These behaviors may occur on- or off-campus. Students, faculty, staff, visitors, families and/or other community members, may identify and report students of concern. While UNC, specifically the Office of the Dean of Students, has long responded to concerning student behavior, this initiative will allow for a more holistic review and response to students. Individuals participating in this program will learn more about the purpose and scope of Carolina’s Student Care Team, including how to refer concerns and what to expect once you share information.
October 2 Religion, Spirituality, and College
with Alyssa N. Rockenbach, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at North Carolina State University
Laurie Schreiner, keynote speaker for the spring 2015 Student Success Conference Thriving in College, describes spirituality as one of the four major pathways to thriving (Schreiner, 2012). However, this deeply personal topic can be controversial in the context of our increasingly diverse University community. This session will explore how spirituality can impact the way students and professionals on college campuses navigate and persist through academic environments, including spirituality’s potential impact on mindset, resiliency, grit, goal-setting and problem-solving. Considerations about the demographics of North Carolina and implications for spiritual and religious beliefs and practices (including atheism and agnosticism) within educated communities and potential implications for our campus will also be discussed.
Note: This session will reference a play attended by many professionals in the Office of Undergraduate Education, Disgraced, running at Playmakers Theater from September 13 through October 4, 2015. We encourage all who are interested in this discussion to attend.
November 13 Opening Access to Global Learning
with Jaclyn Gilstrap (Center for Global Initiatives) and Rodney Vargas (Study Abroad Office)
Studies show that global learning opportunities are high impact experiences that can significantly impact college student success. However, there are often real and perceived barriers to accessing opportunities for global learning for first generation, transfer, low-income, and underrepresented students. The Center for Global Initiatives and the Study Abroad Office have employed intentional strategies to open access for all students at Carolina. This session will describe their efforts and engage participants in discussion about how to market global learning opportunities and support student access in our daily work.
December 11 Just Mercy: Beyond Summer Reading
Just Mercy, the 2015 summer reading selection by activist-lawyer Bryan Stevenson, has earned rave reviews from students, faculty, and staff across the University for its gripping personal narrative about how intersections of race, gender, wealth, and resources, manifest within the philosophy and practice of justice and fairness in American society. This interactive session is part book club and part recommendations for how to reference key themes in the book in our daily work with students across departments and disciplines. We will review the book, highlight key themes, and consider ways to maximize the use of this dynamic book within our various professional roles. Discussion questions will be sent in advance.
Bring a friend!
For further information or requests for future topics, contact:
Brent Blanton, Academic Support Program for Student Athletes, blanton@unc.edu
Andrea Caldwell, The Academic Advising Program, andreac@email.unc.edu
Candice Powell, Office of Undergraduate Education, candicef@email.unc.edu
Kelli Raker, Student Wellness, raker@email.unc.edu
Maureen Windle, Counseling and Psychological Services, mawindle@email.unc.edu