FAQ

The Behavioral Consultation Team is a campus wide team that provides consultation, makes recommendations for action, and coordinates campus resources in response to reports of disruptive or concerning behavior displayed by students, staff, or faculty.

The BCT was designed to be a campus resource to assist in identifying and addressing troubling behavior before it escalates to something more serious. Experience shows that tragedies affecting college campuses (for example the Virginia Tech tragedy) are often preceded by warning signs or concerning patterns of behavior. Early communication and intervention may help to prevent an escalation of behaviors to critical levels. Therefore, we encourage you to report any behavior that is troubling or makes you concerned. It is better to be safe than sorry: if you have a "gut feeling" that something is not quite right, report it. If a member of the IUPUI community (student, staff, or faculty) behaves in a way that causes you concern for their well being, or poses a potential threat to the safety of our community, report it. All concerns requiring immediate action (potentially criminal activity, violent, threatening, or imminent suicidal behavior) should be directed to the University Police [(317) 274-7911] or local law enforcement [911 or number in location of emergency].

The BCT is a multidisciplinary team composed of individuals from various departments across campus to allow for effective collaboration and coordination of efforts. Team members include representatives from the following offices: Dean of Students; IU Police; Academic Affairs; Adaptive Educational Services; Counseling and Psychological Services; Emergency Management; Equal Opportunity; Graduate Office; Housing and Residence Life; Human Resources; International Affairs; University Counsel; Student Advocacy and Support; Student Conduct; Veterans and Military Personnel; and Student Health. Additional campus representatives may be included on an ad-hoc basis depending on the nature of the referred incident.

1. If you believe that the person may pose a threat of imminent danger of harm to self or to others, call the IUPUI Police immediately by dialing 911 or (317) 274-7911.
2. To make a BCT referral, click on the Concerned Persons Referral Form link located on the BCT homepage. You will be asked for basic information about the person of concern, a description of the incident or behaviors that prompted you to make a referral, and your contact information.
3. You are the Behavioral Consultation Team's best resource because you are familiar with the individual or directly observed the concerning behavior. If you want to speak with a member of the team before submitting a referral you should call (317) 274-4431 or (317) 274-2548 and ask to speak with a member of the BCT Coordinating Team. A list of all BCT members is located on the BCT website.

Anyone who believes that someone at IUPUI is at risk of harming self or others, is exhibiting disruptive or worrisome behaviors, or is otherwise concerned about the wellbeing of a member of the IUPUI community, can make a BCT referral. This includes students, parents, faculty, staff and other community members.

The team receives and prioritizes the information, then immediately begins further investigation. You will likely be contacted for clarification and additional information. Often the initial report is just one piece of the puzzle. A behavior that someone observes can turn out to be an isolated incident and no cause for further concern, or it may be an indication of a larger problem that needs to be addressed. The team attempts to understand the whole of a person's behavior patterns before making any recommendations for action.

When we contact you, our priority is to provide you support and assistance in managing the reported situation. We will gather information, recommend next steps, provide information about possible referrals, and develop plans for follow-up. BCT recommendations may include monitoring the situation, providing resources, addressing the behavior directly, referring to a specific campus office (OSAS, OEO, Student Conduct, IUPD), or taking more immediate action.

Something that may appear to be a minor incident to you may be part of a larger pattern unknown to you. IUPUI is a big place and early and effective communication among key offices and individuals is crucial to identifying problems before they get bigger. The guiding mission of the BCT is that of early intervention in order to understand what is happening and try to intervene before a situation escalates. The BCT wants to attempt to resolve a situation BEFORE someone "gets in trouble." The goal is to promote the safety of the individual and campus through early intervention. The BCT takes into account the concerns of the campus, as well as the needs of the student, faculty, or staff member about whom concerns are expressed. Whether the information will adversely affect the individual's student or employment status will depend on the situation. Frequently, when a situation is identified early enough and reported, it can be resolved without the need for further disciplinary action or criminal prosecution against the person involved. If you are unsure about whether or not you should say something, report it! Trust your instincts.

You are reporting a concern based on an observed behavior (e.g., verbal exchange, hostile interaction, etc.) not making a determination or judgment about the individual. There is no expectation that reporters make judgments about whether their observations are "right" or "wrong." Let the BCT weigh all the information available, gather further data if warranted and determine the best course of action.

Anonymous referrals are accepted but discouraged. Identifying yourself assists the BCT if clarification or additional information is needed. Submitting your name also gives the referral more credibility. The BCT will attempt to handle all matters discreetly. We cannot guarantee that the person(s) involved will not be able to determine the source of the report. If this concerns you, please speak directly with a team member. IUPUI does not permit retaliation against any individual who reports a concerning or troubling behavior in good faith.

That depends on the situation. Various privacy and confidentiality laws apply to the situations handled by the BCT. A member of the team will follow up with the person making the referral when appropriate and possible to let you know the continuing action or closed status of the referral.

No. FERPA expressly permits the sharing of any and all information from you to the team. The information you provide is to school officials and is related to the educational interests of the student involved. 

The BCT does not enact sanctions or administer policy regarding referrals; however, the BCT can:

• develop specific strategies to manage potential harmful or disruptive behavior to protect the safety and rights of both the individual and the IUPUI community.
• assist faculty or staff in developing a plan of action.
• provide information and assist in referrals to campus resources that can provide continued support to the individual (e.g., Academic Advising, AES, CAPS).
• coordinate and share information with units/departments that may take actions when there is an imminent threat of harm to self or others, such as:
  • facilitate evaluation for possible immediate detention,
  • refer information to the IUPUI Police/Critical Threat Assessment Team, or,
  • provide emergency notification of others.
• recommend reports be made to offices responsible for conduct/disciplinary actions (student, staff, faculty).
• continue monitoring the situation without immediate action.