The University of Washington Tacoma is committed to the success of all our students. While UW Tacoma does its best to give individual time and attention to every student, there are some behaviors that may go unnoticed until a caring person tells us about them.
The Consultation Assessment Response Education (CARE) team is an interdisciplinary group of professionals at the University of Washington Tacoma that meets on a regular basis to discuss, assess, and when necessary intervene in situations involving students of concern. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs broadly charges the CARE team with this and other related responsibilities.
Questions about the CARE Team or the referral process? Please contact Student Life at uwtcare@uw.edu.
Referrals
Any person who has concern for the well-being or safety of a student or the community, or who has reason to believe that a student may pose a direct threat to themselves or others, is strongly encouraged to refer the matter to the CARE Team. An academic or nonacademic conduct report may be referred to the CARE Team for consideration.
In cases deemed emergency situations, University community members are encouraged to activate the emergency response system by calling Campus Safety and Security at 253-692-4416. In case of a medical emergency, dial 911.
What happens after a referral has been made?
All UW student support services value student privacy and, in most circumstances, will not share additional details about a student’s personal situation. They can share university actions and may consult with the individual making a referral about actions they can take. Campus Safety and Security will always communicate with affected individuals and/or the campus community if there is a risk of harm or violence.
What about privacy?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) permits the following:
UW faculty and staff may disclose personal identifiable information from an educational record to appropriate individuals in connection with a health and safety emergency.
Information may be released to parents, police, or others, if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
Observations of a student’s conduct or statements made by a student are not FERPA protected educational records. . Such information should be shared with University personnel when there is a specific need to know with appropriate consideration for student privacy.
How to Make a Referral
Referrals can be made in any of the following ways:
- Submit a referral here
- Call the Office of Student Life at 253-692-4901 or in person at MAT 103
- Refer directly to Student Counseling & Psychological Services either by phone at 253-692-4522 or in person at MAT 354
- Call Campus Safety and Security at 253-692-4416
- By contacting any member of the CARE team
Process
All initial reports/referrals will be triaged through the CARE Team, and referred to the appropriate office(s) and/or external services.
Once a referral is received, the following procedures are implemented:
- Respond to referral as soon as possible, typically within 24 hours
- Identify the subject(s) involved
- Collect available information
- Assess whether subject(s) is an imminent threat to self or others and take appropriate action.
- Develop specific intervention/prevention strategy.
- Facilitate meetings with appropriate UW Tacoma office or personnel regarding the situation on an as needed basis.
- Follow up as with appropriate parties as the situation permits.
If the referral is not seen as appropriate for immediate intervention, the student will be contacted and we will make an appropriate recommendation for additional student support. All immediate interventions will be forwarded to an appropriate campus-wide intervention or response committee based on severity of the emerging incident.
Support Structures
UW Tacoma has many support structures to assist students:
The following support structures are in place to ensure concerns are addressed. Representatives from each area work in conjunction with each other to provide a holistic approach to situations as appropriate.
tacoma.uw.edu/student-advocacy | MAT203 | 253-692-5934
The Office of Student Advocacy & Support assists students in developing strategies to overcome and address barriers that prevent them from achieving their educational goals using a case management model.
tacoma.uw.edu/counseling | MAT354 | 253-692-4522
Staff in Counseling & Psychological Services not only provide free counseling to currently enrolled UW Tacoma students, they are available to consult with faculty and staff.
uw.edu/safecampus | 253-692-SAFE | 253-692-7233
SafeCampus is a 24-7 University of Washington tri-campus resource that you can consult with when you are concerned for your safety or someone else’s. They are available to staff, faculty and students. You can call anonymously.
tacoma.uw.edu/uaa/academic-alert | GWP102 | 253-62-4857
Academic alert is a referral system through which any UW Tacoma faculty or staff member may identify undergraduate students who are having academic difficulty.
tacoma.uw.edu/reportbias | WCG 102
The Bias Incident Response Committee reviews, tracks and, when possible, responds to reports of bias incidents to help improve our campus’ climate.
uw.edu/emergencyaid | MAT103 | 253-692-4901
Emergency Aid assists students who are experiencing unexpected hardships that may disrupt their education or prevent them from earning their UW degree.
uwtsva@uw.edu | MAT203 | 253-692-5934
Advocates provide a confidential place for students to seek support, information and safety planning if they experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, relationship violence or stalking. Outside of business hours you can encourage a student to seek medical attention at Tacoma General Hospital.
Training Request
To request a training from the CARE team, please use the button below. A CARE team representative will follow up with you within 48 hours to confirm your training session. If you have any questions, or don't receive your confirmation within 48 hours, please email uwtcare@uw.edu.
CARE Team Membership
- Dr. Bernard Anderson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Co-Chair
- Surtida Shelton, Associate Director of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, Co-Chair
- Dr. Bonnie Becker, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success
- Ramon Borunda, Associate Director of Residence Life
- Lorraine Dinnel, Associate Director of University Academic Advising
- Victor Flores, Associate Director of Disability Resources for Students
- Roseann Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Advocacy and Support
- Dr. Jimmy McCarty, Director, Center for Equity and Inclusion
- Dr. Cassandra Nichols, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services
- Kelly Tyrrell, Student Life Program Support Supervisor
- Susan Wagshul-Golden, Director of Campus Safety and Security