Dalhousie is beginning a new chapter in student support, trading in the yellow folder for a unique student-centred approach.
Dal’s Student Conduct Office closed its doors Sept. 1 for a final time, making room for the new Student Support Team operating under Student Health & Wellness.
The university’s shift to a new model began this past summer when the Code of Student Conduct came up for review. Student Affairs took the opportunity to consider and address the experiences of students who didn’t feel supported or cared for by the previous complaint-driven, evidence-based, zero-tolerance approach to resolution. The yellow folder, which explained the process under the previous code of student conduct, has since been retired.
“We weren’t giving the type of support to students how we wanted to,” says Melissa MacKay, assistant vice-provost for campus living and well-being.
A new Student Support Team was established this summer as an innovative way to get students back on the path to success. From resource navigation inquiries to complex mental health crises, there is no size limitation on a student's concern. The support team assists students navigating challenges related to conduct expectations, whether they are directly involved or affected by the actions of others. A coordinated response is facilitated on the individual and community levels to remove barriers during setbacks. The team intends to implement a more human-centred administration of the updated code.
“We’re shifting away from compliance and enforcement to learning and growth after a misconduct incident,” MacKay says. “What we do now is take the concern on, do the needs assessment, try to understand what’s happening, what needs to happen next, and make a plan with students to do just that.”
Meeting needs, addressing issues
The most significant change is the shift to a holistic case-management approach, prioritizing the complete picture rather than an individual's behaviour only. The Student Support Team combines holistic assessment with risk management in the realigned supportive model.
Hazel Ling, associate director of the Student Support Team and a certified social worker says this should lead to more successful interventions.
“Often there's a bigger story,” says Ling. “The value that we hold is that people are good and want to do their best. Why they weren’t able to do that during a particular time is our main focus.”
In the new model, student concerns or misconducts are taken through a coordinated multi-team approach emphasizing de-escalation and proactive intervention. Case managers gather information, meet with the student one-on-one, and build a relationship to determine the reasons behind a student's actions and what might have provoked certain behaviour. Students are invited to participate in the conversation to voice their unique needs, while simultaneously helping Dalhousie address systemic flaws.
“We want students to feel supported, we want them to learn,” says Ling
She gives the example of a student whose laptop was stolen, noting the Student Support Team can help that student navigate the situation in finding funding for a new computer, investigate insurance, or help find the original laptop.
Building a sense of belonging
Integral to the support team is a specialized group of individuals trained to assess the risk of harm to others during incidents. That group, called the Behavioural Intervention Team (BIT), is used for additional assessment of concerns relating to a wide range of behaviours and issues, contributing to the overall improvement in safety and inclusivity on campus.
“It is set out to make people feel like they belong [in] the community,” says Ling.
Students experiencing emotional, financial, academic, or non-academic related challenges can access the Student Support Team by completing a revamped online referral form tailored to the individual's needs. Staff, faculty, or other students concerned for the well-being of a student can help facilitate a coordinated response by completing a referral form on that student's behalf. Next steps can also be arranged by contacting Hazel Ling directly via studentsupport@dal.ca.
“We’re really excited about this as a chance to show up differently as an institution to make processes less harmful and more accessible,” says MacKay.