Background and Samples
Students struggle with many challenges that can prevent them from coming to their courses ready to learn. Issues such as food and housing insecurity have not traditionally been considered “academic issues,” but a resurgence of interest in rethinking pedagogy from a whole-student perspective is spurring many faculty at Plymouth State to let students know that we are willing and able to support them through their challenges so that they can succeed in their courses and in college.
Basic Needs Security and The Syllabus: this is a short article on the importance of addressing basic needs resources in your syllabi.
Sample Basic Needs/ Help Syllabi Statements: these are sample statements and syllabi from faculty here at Plymouth State.
- Sample statement 1 (Matt Cheney)
- Sample statement 2 (Liz Ahl) UPDATED FALL 2020
- Sample statement 3 (Pat Cantor)
For the kind of information that you might wish to include in your syllabi, browse the info below and use what you want! Feel free to come to the CoLab to chat with us if you have questions or want to explore your options.
Accessibility
The Accessibility Services page for faculty includes links for the required syllabi statement, a great FAQ about accommodations, how to make your courses more accessible in general, presentations, faculty support pages, and more.
Food Insecurity
The Student Support Foundation runs a campus Food Pantry in Belknap Residence Hall that stocks nonperishable food and toiletry items (note changing semester hours via page.)
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the food pantry does not have weekly open hours, however we are still here to support you! If you need to access the pantry, please set up an appointment by reaching out to psu-ssf@plymouth.edu.
Students who need help purchasing/acquiring face coverings in order to meet PSU requirements should also contact the SSF.
Emergency Financial Assistance
The Student Support Foundation has emergency financial assistance grants that can be used for things like medical expenses, emergency travel, school supplies, and textbook costs.
Housing Insecurity
Residential Life has temporary emergency housing for students experiencing homelessness at no charge, if/ when there are housing spaces available. For more extended situations of homelessness, Residential Life is available to work with students on filling out a housing application, and working with financial aid.
During summer break, students can receive free* on-campus housing if somehow connected to the university–through course enrollment, employment/ work study, internship, etc.
As of right now, during winter break, students already on campus can arrange to stay in their housing for a $150 fee. Watch for more information from Res Life on this policy, and contact them for special considerations.
During Thanksgiving and Spring breaks, students have the option to stay on campus by informing Residential Life.
*While there is no charge for summer housing, there may be: a) financial aid implications if enrolled during the summer term (includes work-study employment) and/or, b) tax implications if not enrolled during the summer and/or for the days outside of the official summer term dates if enrolled.
Mental Health
PSU offers free counseling services through the PSU Counseling Center. The Counseling Center provides counseling and consultation services to students, as well as consultation to faculty, administrators, and parents/guardians. The Counseling Center also provides prevention and outreach services to the broader campus community. The Counseling Center uses an innovative brief treatment model to assess each individual student’s needs, which allows them to determine the most appropriate treatment for each student. After a student meets for an intake evaluation, their intake counselor will determine the most appropriate type of care to suit their needs. These treatment types include group counseling/skill building groups, 1-2 time individual counseling sessions, short-term individual therapy (3-8 sessions), or couples therapy (if both partners are PSU students). They also provide emergency services for students in crisis. (Please note that the Counseling Center has a limited scope of practice, and certain mental health challenges may be better served at outside treatment resources.)
Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Stalking, and Dating Violence:
As Responsible Employees, faculty are required to report disclosures of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students are provided appropriate information about resources, rights, reporting options, and the supportive & protective measures available. When disclosures occur, our priority is to first ensure that students are connected to confidential advocacy resources from Voices Against Violence, our local crisis services agency. It’s simple: refer and then report.
You may wish to use the uSafeUS web or mobile app which includes a ‘Helpful Answers’ section for Faculty & Staff. The uSafeUS app has prevention and response tools that are specific for the PSU campus community. The app is a tool used for training and outreach with faculty, staff, students, and law enforcement.
At any time, you may consult with the Title IX Coordinator if you are uncertain about how to approach or respond to sexual misconduct disclosures. Department/discipline-based workshops and class presentations are also available upon request.