FIT Care Team

FIT Care Team - Restorative Action The FIT Care Team works together to establish a coordinated point of contact for providing support to students in distress. As such, the Team is tasked with the responsibility to identify, assess and assist, students who display mild to extreme levels of concerning or disruptive behavior, including but not limited to suicidal, assaultive, and/or self-harm.

Care Team assessment will include the implementation of timely interventions geared toward the health and safety of the individual student and the campus community. A Care Team member will be in touch with you following a report submission to discuss next steps.

Any member of the FIT community (faculty, staff, or students) may fill out a Care Incident Communication Form if they are troubled by student behavior that could be construed concerning to the student or to others. Examples of such behavior can include but is not limited to:

  • Extended absences from class by an otherwise engaged and involved student.
  • Submission of class work that consists of troubling themes or references.
  • Unusual or erratic behavior in or outside the classroom environment.
  • Ongoing disruptive behavior that is not able to be contained through classroom management.

All reports are kept private and will be handled by members of the Care Team.

Care reports should not be submitted for students who may have missed an occasional class. Faculty should be using attendance policies outlined in their course syllabi and holding students accountable to those expectations. It is important that Care reports should be submitted in a timely manner, when the issue or concern is raised, rather than waiting until the end of the semester to report.

Note that the following types of student behavior must be reported immediately to Public Safety ((212) 217-7777):

  • Threatening behavior: verbal, written, or physically demonstrated through action, social media, and/or any other means.
  • Behavior that could be construed as a threat to one's self or others.

It should be noted that the Team is constituted to respond to student behavior only. Concerns regarding faculty and/or staff behavior should be brought to the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of Human Resources, respectively, or to Public Safety, should the severity of the situation warrant such a report.

To alert the Care Team to a concern, complete and submit the Care Incident Communication Form. A member of the Team will receive and review your submission. Note that you may be contacted for follow-up information.

The Care Team responds to a wide range of student concerns and incidents. Note that a Care report used to report sexual harassment, sexual violence, or gender-based harassment cannot be kept confidential. If you need to report information of that nature, please contact Public Safety (212) 217-7777,  the Title IX Office (212) 217-3360, or the Dean of Students (212) 217-3800.

Care Team Details

The members of the FIT Care Team are:

Other members of the campus community may be called upon to serve as ad hoc members of the team. These members may be from relevant offices including but not limited to any of the following: Public Safety, Academic Advisement, Health Services, Student Life, the College Deans' offices and others.

Note: Some individuals on the FIT Care Team are considered "confidential resources" pursuant to FIT policy. Information on privacy v. confidentiality is explained in detail in FIT’s Sexual Misconduct Response policy, and these concepts apply to FIT confidential resources regardless of whether the issue involves sexual misconduct. Although the FIT Care Team itself is not a confidential resource, a report made to the individuals who otherwise sit on the FIT Care Team and who are confidential resources will be kept confidential and not reported to the FIT Care Team without the consent of the victim.

To alert the Care Team to a concern, complete and submit the Care Incident Communication Form.

A member of the team will receive and review your submission. Please note that your contact information is requested only so that a member of the Care Team may contact you for further information. Your contact information will remain private and will only by shared with members of the Care Team. All reports are kept private and will be handled by members of the Care Team.

The Care Team responds to a wide range of student concerns and incidents. Note that a Care report used to report sexual harassment, sexual violence, or gender-based harassment cannot be kept confidential. If you need to report information of that nature, please contact Public Safety (212) 217-7777,  the Title IX Office (212) 217-3360, or the Dean of Students (212) 217-3800.

It should be noted that the Team is constituted to respond to student behavior only. Concerns regarding faculty and/or staff behavior should be brought to the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of Human Resources, respectively, or to Public Safety, should the severity of the situation warrant such a report.

Why should I report my concern to the Care Team? Why not just call the Counseling Center?
The Care Team includes a staff member from the Counseling Center. Reporting your concerns to the Care Team ensures that your concern will be immediately directed to a qualified person, who will be able to determine the next best course of action to help a student in need of assistance, whether that means Counseling or another campus resource.

What will the Care Team do with my report?
Care will first determine the most appropriate course of action to take using the information presented in your report. Based on the type of incident or concern, Care may contact you in order to get additional information and/or other crucial details. In many cases, Care may contact the student you are concerned about to arrange a meeting. Care’s role is to determine how urgent the situation is and then to recommend or require that the student involved get the proper assistance.

Can students send concerns about their peers to the Care Team?
Yes, students may send concerns about their peers to the Care Team. If you are aware of behavior similar to what is outlined above or have witnessed an incident involving a friend or classmate that concerns you, fill out the Care Incident Communication Form and Care will follow up with the concern.

Will my name be revealed to the student I am concerned about?
If you prefer that your name not be revealed to the student you are concerned about, it will be kept private. In some cases, the information you provide will only be known to you and so the student you are concerned about may know its source. The team will always discuss this matter with you before taking any action that would make your identity known.

Can I submit an anonymous report about a student?
Yes, you may submit an anonymous report about a student. However it is important to understand that choosing to remain anonymous can pose an obstacle to the Care. This might occur if the team is in need of additional details or requires critical information that would allow them to help a student in need. We would like to have your contact information in case we need additional information.

Will the student I report be "in trouble"?
The student that you report will be given the support and assistance they require by the Care Team and other College and community resources. The primary purpose of the team is to provide help to students who are in a state of crisis. When you report a student that you are concerned about, you are ensuring that they will receive the best possible assistance from qualified staff members.

Contact the Care Team

Dean of Students Office
Business & Liberal Arts Center, Room B221
(212) 217-3800
[email protected]