Mentorship

FSEM faculty members will serve as trusted mentors—guiding student transitions to the university environment by assisting students in exploring new disciplines and fields of study, supporting students in the development of effective intellectual habits, and generally serving as an on-campus advocate for FSEM students.


Resources from the 1/13/23 FSEM Training

We have compiled some resources from the1/13/23 FSEM Training on Mentorship below. Please feel free to use them as you see fit to assist your students. Please see the full slide deck first for informational purposes.

From Barb Hurtt:

I’ve attached the article I referenced, “Mapping a Mentoring Roadmap”  but for copyright reasons, we might want to simply send the link to FSEM faculty to access on their own. I’ve also included a 2nd article that discusses challenges and opportunities for both students and parents with the transition from high school to college.

In addition, I’ve shared my Excel Advising Template that some folks expressed interest in. This is meant to be something that gives students a short-term and long-term perspective but also allows them to play with the schedule quite a bit and create different possibilities – e.g. including study abroad or not. If you see errors, please let me know! You’re welcome to share this broadly if you think it would be helpful.

From Kateri McRae and the 4D Executive Director, Laura Perille:

Reporting Students of Concern

There are several systems in place to report and assist students who may be struggling. We highly encourage faculty to submit a report when they feel something is off, even if you are unsure. When in doubt, ALWAYS REPORT!

See pages 38-40 in the below slide deck for more detailed information on when to report students of concern and how to use SOS.


SOS Referral

SOS referral forms (formerly Pioneers Care forms) are designed to target personal/behavioral concerns regarding a student in order to support both the student and campus community in maintaining their safety, health, and well-being.  Each report is reviewed by Student Outreach and Support (SOS) staff members and then assigned to a Case Manager to outreach to the student and develop a support plan.

The University of Denver is committed to the support and care for all students. Occasionally, you may encounter students in need of outreach or intervention. If you encounter a student exhibiting the signs below, please submit an SOS referral report (formerly Pioneers Care).

  • Academic difficulty
  • Difficulties with family/home environment
  • Difficulties with adjusting to the college experience
  • Excessive or unexplained absences
  • Financial concerns
  • Mental health issues
  • Physical health issues
  • Possible learning differences
  • Relationship issues
  • Self-harm concerns
  • Unable to locate a student
  • Witness to an incident

Please refer to the Student Outreach and Support page on how to recognize and support student in distress for more extensive examples of indicators of concerning behavior. Please also always err on the side of reporting. It is critical for students and the campus community that SOS receive this information in a timely manner.

If you have any questions about SOS reporting, please contact SOS at 303-871-4724 or care@du.edu.


Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Empowerment (CAPE)

CAPE Services:
  • Provide a free, safe, & confidential space for any DU community member impacted by gender violence to talk about what happened, including survivors and their friends & loved ones.
  • Help survivors navigate the university, medical, criminal, and/or legal systems.
  • Assist survivors with obtaining a civil order of protection (legal) or a no-contact order (University).
  • Accompany survivors to the hospital following an assault in order to receive a medical evaluation &/or for a SANE forensic exam, which is used to collect evidence should the survivor decide to pursue a criminal investigation.
  • Discuss options for financial assistance.
  • Help report an incident to the Title IX Office (including having an advocate accompany you for the investigative process).
  • Assist with reporting an incident to the Denver Police Department or other Law Enforcement agencies (including having an advocate accompany you to the police station).
  • Connect a survivor to a therapist on campus or in the community and/or with group counseling options.
  • Arrange for temporary academic accommodations.
  • Skill-build for developing healthy relationships.
  • Collaborate with Campus Safety to arrange for private escorts &/or self-defense courses.

Visit the CAPE website for more information. All services are confidential and free of charge.


Title IX

Title IX is a law that came into play more than 40 years ago that is applicable to all higher education institutions receiving federal financial assistance. It prohibits discrimination based on gender. The University of Denver is committed to providing an environment free of discrimination on the basis of gender, including sexual assault, relationship (dating and domestic) violence and stalking.  The Title IX Office is a department of the Office of Equal Opportunity and is responsible for ensuring and promoting compliance with Title IX.  The Title IX Office can assist with:

  • Consultation concerning issues of possible discrimination, harassment or retaliation
  • Investigation of complaints of sex (gender) discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation, including matters of sexual assault (non-consensual sexual contact)
  • Consultation regarding reasonable interim measures for individuals who have been impacted by gender discrimination
  • Education designed for your department or organization that focuses on prevention of gender discrimination

For more information on university and community resources to support survivors of gender violence, please visit CAPE’s resource page: http://www.du.edu/health-and-counseling-center/cape/resources/index.html