Student Support

Student Conduct

Behavioral Intervention Team

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) helps detect early indicators of student crisis and prevent disciplinary issues. The cross-functional, multi-disciplinary team helps identify, assess and manage disruptive student behaviors.

The BIT works collaboratively and proactively, encouraging faculty and staff to report student behavioral concerns for early intervention. The team uses established protocols and tools provided by the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment to determine the best way to support, intervene and respond.

Reporting behavior of concern

Emergency

Call 911 or Campus Police at 919-866-5911.

Employees should report non-emergency behaviors or threats by completing a Behavior of Concern form.

All concerns reported to the BIT will be treated as confidential by team members and protected in accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other applicable laws.

Concerning behaviors

The following behaviors warrant the submission of a Behavior of Concern form:

  • Threatening words, actions, writings or online postings or transmissions (clearly indicating a desire or plan to harm self or others)
  • Fascination with weapons
  • Obvious signs of self-injury (cutting, burning, etc.)
  • Acts motivated by hatred or discrimination
  • Paranoid statements or behaviors
  • Descriptions of fantasies that include violence
  • Interest in current or past shootings and violent events in the news
  • Extreme or sudden personality changes
  • Excessive absenteeism or any dramatic change in a student’s normal attendance pattern
  • Unusual interest in the police, the military or terrorist activities and events
  • Odd or aberrant behavior, such as "acting out"

If in doubt, submit a form to the BIT, which will assess the situation fully and determine an appropriate response.

Signs of distress

A distressed student is one suffering from anxiety, sorrow or pain. Loud and disruptive behavior can be a sign of distress, but more subtle signs may go unnoticed:

  • Excessive absences from or tardiness to class
  • Withdrawing from class participation and interaction with friends
  • Lack of concentration, even sleeping, in class
  • Decline in academic performance
  • Verbally or physically aggressive and easily agitated
  • Dominating discussions
  • More emotional in responses
  • Incessant talk about violence, threats or death
  • Speaking or writing about doing harm to self or others or making disparaging remarks about self
  • Giving away possessions
  • Gaining or losing an excessive amount of weight
  • Noticeable changes in personal hygiene or dress
  • Changes in speech pattern, such as rapid, disjointed or fragmented speech or speech not based on reality
  • Red, swollen or bloodshot eyes
  • Sad or extremely tired appearance