Safety and Health
UW–Madison is committed to your health and safety as members of our campus community. Everyone plays a role in maintaining this environment. Many resources are available to inform students, faculty and staff about health and safety issues.
Urgent Situations
For assistance with urgent mental health concerns, 24-hour crisis intervention services are available to UW–Madison students, and to others concerned about a UW–Madison student, by calling 608-265-5600 (select option 9). More information on the services available can be found on the University Health Services (UHS) website.
Faculty, academic staff and teaching assistants
Whether a first-year faculty member or a seasoned staff member, you play an important role in keeping our community safe. In your capacity, you may directly encounter troubled or disruptive students in your classroom or office.
In any of these cases, you can play a positive role in helping that student to receive resources and be successful at UW–Madison. It is your responsibility to act with concern whenever you are worried about a student. Please consider the following to deal with such situations:
- Should a student exhibit dangerous, disruptive or suicidal behavior and physical safety is of immediate concern, call the UW Police Department. The 911 emergency number on campus connects directly to campus police.
- Some disruptive behavior, such as yelling or inappropriate language, can be dealt with informally by speaking directly with a student and setting clear expectations for conduct.
- If a student seems to be having mental health issues, is homesick, sad or troubled, please refer him or her to UHS Counseling and Consultation Services at 608-265-5600.
Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance for respecting student privacy under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), handling an escalating case, dealing with academic misconduct or any other assistance you need.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to seek a consultation or guidance from the Division of Student Life by calling 608-263-5700 and asking for the on-call dean. Your concern and care is important in keeping our community safe.
Parents
Parents can always play an important role in detecting mental health issues or serious health problems. For assistance in how to handle these situations, contact the Parent Program online or at 877-262-3977.
