Poor academic performance can be seen as a risk factor for depression
and other mental illness and thus faculty and academic advisors can play
a key role in identifying and supporting students in distress. While facul- ty and teaching assistants often observe symptoms of student distress (ab- sences, poor test performance, late papers, etc.), they don’t always know
when or how best to intervene. We recommend that all faculty and teach- ing staff be provided with a one-page summary of the warning signs of
distress and a list of phone/email contacts for each school, and informa- tion on the centralized web portal. This summary should be distributed
at the beginning of each academic semester. A reminder also could be emailed
by the Dean, Department Chair, Undergraduate Chair, or Graduate
Group Chair to faculty and teaching assistants at known high stress times
such as midterm and exam periods reminding them to be aware of students
who may need help. In addition to our recommendation that CAPS
develop a shortened version of its I CARE training, we recommend that
CAPS develop an overview for presentation during Department/School
faculty meetings. We also recommend that these communications and presentation
include guidance for the effective use of “Course Problem Notices.”
The Provost’s Faculty Council on Access and Academic Support
developed a précis entitled “Five Suggestions from the Faculty Council
on Access and Academic Support” to help students thrive in and out of the
classroom.17 This is one example of the initiatives being undertaken by
Penn faculty members to support their students.