OWU Cares: Student Support Services

OWU Cares about the well-being of our community!

We are here to help if you, or someone you know, has experienced unwanted contact, is having a hard time managing personal experiences, or you are concerned for them. 

The University’s main concern is the safety and well-being of all members of our community. Asking for help for yourself or a friend does not mean someone is in trouble. We might not be able to share the details of our response with you, but we will contact you to ensure we understand the situation or issue of concern.

Asking for help does not mean that action will immediately be taken, unless we are concerned for the safety of a person or others. We understand that everyone processes their experiences differently and may need to learn about their options before they take action.

Is this an emergency?

• Are you worried about the safety of yourself or anyone else?
• Do you or anyone else need immediate medical attention?

If any of the above could be answered as yes, then it is probably an emergency situation. Please call Public Safety (740-368-2222) to get help.

If you have a concern about an OWU student, we encourage you to notify the OWU Care Team by submitting the Reporting Student Concerns form.

OWU Student Care Committee

The Student Care Committee is responsible for soliciting and evaluating reports of any student whose behavior is of concern.  The Student Care Committee provides on-going case management for the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) and will refer cases back to the BIT if there are recommendations for action.

The Committee is co-chaired by the Associate Dean of Student Success and the Assistant Dean for Student Integrity and Community Standards.  Members of the Student Care Committee may include staff from the departments of Public Safety, Academic Advising, Counseling Services, Residential Life, and First Year Experience.  Depending upon the situation, other community members may be asked to assist the Team.

Can I report anonymously?

A report may be completed anonymously; however, we strongly recommend you provide your name and contact information to allow for a Care Committee member contact you should they need additional information regarding the report. Your personal information will be treated privately whenever possible. While we may contact you for further information or clarification, the Committee members will not, in general, follow up with you about any actions or response the team has implemented.

Confidential Resources

If you would like to speak with a confidential resource before you report a concern then please contact our Confidential Resources. The following resources do not share information received with anyone unless there is a threat to harm to self or others.

Counseling Services, HWCC 324, P 740-368-3145

Chaplain’s Office, HWCC 308, P 740-368-3083

Health Services, Stuyvesant Hall, P 740-368-3160

Faculty and staff: please report information to the OWU Student Care Team if you have concerns for a student. If it is a report of sexual misconduct then please report directly to the appointed Title IX staff:

Emily Paetz (Director for Student Integrity and Community Standards): empaetz@owu.edu
Doug Koyle (Associate Dean for Student Success): dmkoyle@owu.edu
Dwayne Todd (Title IX Coordinator): dktodd@owu.edu

What happens if my name was reported?

If a community member was concerned about you and shared their concern with the Care Committee, you can expect an email or contact from one of the members to touch base to assist and follow-up as needed. The committee's collaboration with you is private and will not be shared with fellow students, parents, staff, or faculty without your permission or a legitimate reason to do so.

On Call Staff Member

A member of the Residential Life staff is on call 24 hours per day, in the event of an emergency or crisis situation. This person can be reached by contacting Public Safety.

The on call staff member may involve other OWU offices to determine the institutional response and will monitor an incident to make sure that adequate support is provided and continues to be made available even after the critical situation is resolved.

More information about these policies can be found in the Student Handbook.