“They Emailed What?”: Strategies to reply to students who share they are struggling
Posted by anne.grey
Presenters: Amanda Sanford and Gina Loschiavo
Summary
In this session, Amanda Sanford and Gina Loschiavo from PCC Student Support and Intervention share practical strategies for faculty responding to student emails detailing personal, academic, or financial distress. Instructors often receive written messages where students open up about significant challenges outside the classroom. The presenters discuss actionable methods for communicating with empathy—such as mirroring student language—and setting clear expectations regarding response times in course syllabi.
The presentation clarifies the distinction between submitting an individual CARE referral and the high-level, college-wide CARE team. Amanda and Gina outline what happens after a referral is made, how student outreach is conducted, and how faculty can partner with their department to ensure students get connected with resources like basic needs and emergency funds while instructors maintain healthy professional boundaries.
Presentation Outcomes
- Learn strategies and language techniques to supportively respond to students sharing personal struggles.
- Understand the difference between a CARE referral and the college-wide CARE team.
- Understand how Student Support and Intervention partners with faculty to connect students to resources.
- Identify methods to set personal and professional boundaries while guiding students toward appropriate support.
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