Re: Incident Oct. 3

Dear Colleagues

Thanks for sharing information about the Oct 3rd incident. I am relieved and impressed that Dr Orion Kidder was able to act quickly and effectively to respond to the student's mental health crisis.

I would encourage all faculty to take the psychological first aid training Dr Michelle Nilson suggested. Alternatively, right on your own campus, you can take the Supporting Students in Distress / Students experiencing Suicidal Ideation workshops: https://www.sfu.ca/students/health/events-and-workshops/SOS-SID.html

SFU also needs to invest in better mental health supports for our students. To effectively serve the student population we have, SFU should have approximately 25 full-time mental-health professionals (Psychologists and Registered Counsellors or Social Workers). We currently have nine full time and two specialized part-time/contract mental health professionals.

HCS is taking important steps to make mental health supports more accessible to SFU students. For example, they are piloting using virtual and phone counselling to assist students internationally and across the province while they are on practicum/co-op placements. However, the gap between resources needed and resources available is large-11 people trying to do the work of 25.

I hope everyone will use the influence they have to advocate for resources for mental health supports that are accessible across campuses. Action and resources now could prevent a more serious incident in the future.

Warm regards

Sharalyn

Sharalyn Jordan, PhD, RCC

Assistant Professor

Counselling Psychology | Equity Studies

Faculty of Education | Simon Fraser University

Burnaby.Surrey. Vancouver BC | Unceded Coast Salish Territories

Office: Faculty of Education, Surrey Campus, 5210

Phone: 778-782-9075

Email: sjordan@sfu.ca

I respectfully acknowledge that SFU is located and that I live on the traditional and unceded land of the Coast Salish peoples, including the shared traditional territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Tsleil-Waututh, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations and south of the Fraser River numerous Stó:lō Nations,

the Kwantlen, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, and Qayqayt First Nations.

From: Michelle Nilson <michelle_nilson@sfu.ca>
Sent: October 15, 2018 7:32:30 AM
To: Jamie Scott; Sam Black
Cc: Nancy Forde; David Macalister; James Fleming; academic-discussion (academic-discussion@sfu.ca); englprofs-l@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: Incident Oct. 3

Dear colleagues,

For those who are wondering what we can do, (Nancy Forde, you said, "I would also know if there are ways that we as faculty can be trained to cope with such situations.") This might be one of many resources to help us with training.

Mental Health First Aid courses are available across the lower mainland; here is a link to the currently offered courses: https://www.mhfa.ca/en/course-search?f%5B0%5D=field_course_access%3A0&f%5B1%5D=field_location%253Aadministrative_area%3ABritish%20Columbia

Kindly,

Michelle

From: Jamie Scott <jkscott@sfu.ca>
Sent: October 15, 2018 1:42:18 AM
To: Sam Black
Cc: Nancy Forde; David Macalister; James Fleming; academic-discussion (academic-discussion@sfu.ca); englprofs-l@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: Incident Oct. 3

Hi Sam

I never meant to imply that faculty or staff should act as healthcare professionals. But currently faculty and staff don’t know how to respond to mental health & safety situations at all! And that’s because the policies supporting these interventions are lacking, and we are not receiving proper training based on those (currently missing) policies. In addition, as you’ve noted, SFU’s mental healthcare workers (2 psychiatrists, 2 mental health nurses, 1 clinical psychologist & 11 counsellors) & other resources need to be expanded. You can find a list of them here https://www.sfu.ca/students/health/contact-us/meet-the-team.html

It’s my contention that simply expanding MH services, while helpful, is not enough. Everyone who serves students on the SFU campuses should receive training on all the ways we, as staff, contract workers and faculty, can support our students. For instance, that means knowing (1) whom to send a distressed student to for help, or (2) how to direct distressed parents when they ask about a child who may be at risk, or (3) every semester for every classroom, how to evacuate it, and how to get help quickly if needed, and to share that info with your students. We all need to improve our knowledge & readiness for the unexpected!

Jamie

Sent from my iPhone

Jamie K. Scott, MD, PhD

Professor
Dept. Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
and Faculty of Health Sciences
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC V5A1S6 Canada
Office phone: (778) 782-5658
Cell: (604) 782-1814
Email: jkscott@sfu.ca

On Oct 14, 2018, at 9:41 PM, Sam Black <samuel_black@sfu.ca> wrote:

Hi All,

This discussion is long overdue.

We have known for quite a while that the mental health resources available for students at SFU -- many of whom are living far away from family -- are hopelessly inadequate. I believe Health Services currently has one psychologist to handle all affective disorders. This includes very serious cases that may not quite meet the threshold for a clear and present danger to the student's life.

My understanding is that other Canadian schools (like Memorial) have been far more pro-active in experimenting with ways to safeguard the most vulnerable members of their student body.

Having a better-trained and more sensitive faculty would, I agree with Prof. Scott, be a step in the right direction. But no matter how much better trained we become the fact remains that we are not Health-Care professionals. Speaking personally, I experience a terrible, sinking feeling whenever I intervene in the lives of very depressed and distressed students. I have no relevant qualifications. I get involved when they reach out only because they have so few available medical options on Campus, and in Vancouver more generally. Most of them don't even have GP's.

Best,

Sam Black

Sam Black

Assoc. Prof. Philosophy, SFU

From: Jamie Scott <jkscott@sfu.ca>
Sent: October 14, 2018 1:17:18 PM
To: Nancy Forde
Cc: David Macalister; James Fleming; academic-discussion (academic-discussion@sfu.ca); englprofs-l@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: Incident Oct. 3

Dear folks

I should add that MBB has had to develop its own policy on what profs should do when there’s a suicide. Lisa Craig did this on her own, as MBB’s UCC chair, and with feedback from the administration. SFU’s administration doesn’t have such a policy; it said it’s working on one last spring, but, to my knowledge, nothing has been circulated to the faculties yet. These issues, regarding the lack of continuity around students’ safety & security across campus, should be addressed ASAP.

I’d like to point out that the SFU administration has dedicated $3M/year x 3 years on the “student experience”. Most of the planning for it was done by the administration in collaboration with students. From what I can tell, none of its working groups are focused on “professional development” of faculty & staff around the student experience, and creating consistent policy/governance regarding students across campus.

Currently, the “cultural” perspective on students, and their role & rights in the university varies hugely across academic & research units. Most units don’t have constitutions defining their governance, nor where students fit into the local “culture” of a unit. Tenure-track faculty are typically not trained to teach, nor are any faculty or staff taught ethical behavior in dealing with students, or how to deal with problems they may be facing, including their security.

In applying for grants these days, I routinely have to pass “professional development” learning modules on how to treat collaborators, study subjects, and animals ethically.

Similarly, SFU could make some 1-time expenditures to develop consistent policy and implementation strategies around how we, as faculty, staff & contract workers, can enhance the student experience by acting in well-articulated, shared practices & attitudes that are consistent across campus. That professional development should include training on the issues of security that have arisen recently.

There is an “extra” working group for “ideas too good to ignore” http://www.sfu.ca/student-experience-initiative/key-action-areas.html Perhaps, if people were interested, this avenue could be explored through that working group opportunity...

Sorry for the long rant!

Best to you all

Jamie

Sent from my iPhone
Jamie K. Scott, MD, PhD

Professor
Dept. Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
and Faculty of Health Sciences
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC V5A1S6 Canada
Office phone: (778) 782-5658
Cell: (604) 782-1814
Email: jkscott@sfu.ca

On Oct 14, 2018, at 7:39 AM, Nancy Forde <nforde@sfu.ca> wrote:

I learned of this from a family member on social media. I was stunned not to have heard of it from SFU. I would like to know what type of first aid and consoling services the students were/are being provided. I would also know if there are ways that we as faculty can be trained to cope with such situations.

Please let me / us know if your inquiries get anywhere and, if not, whom we can also pressure to get answers.

Best wishes,

Nancy

Nancy Forde

Professor of Physics

On Oct 13, 2018, at 6:19 PM, David Macalister <david_macalister@sfu.ca> wrote:

I completely agree. I contacted Mark Lalonde, the university’s risk manager, asking why no statement has gone out. So far, I have not received a response. Very disappointing.

David MacAlister

Director, School of Criminology

SFU

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 13, 2018, at 5:42 PM, James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca> wrote:

Dear colleagues,

We are getting media reports of a serious, violent incident more than a week ago during an SFU English class. As far as I am aware, neither faculty, nor our students, have been informed about this event by university administrators, at any level. In my opinion this is shocking, and incompetent. Our students are asking questions on social media as to why they have been kept in the dark.

For what it's worth. JDF

James Dougal Fleming

Professor, Department of English

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, BC, Canada