What We Do

As a residential community that values academic excellence, Denison provides students with a broad range of resources to foster their development as autonomous thinkers, discerning moral agents, and active citizens.

The DU Cares program, a unit of the Division of Student Life, is responsible for programs and services, including case management, crisis management, student advocacy, and problem resolution. We provide support and assistance for students who are managing significant and complex situations related to their health, behavior, well-being, leaves and returns, and academics. The team specifically aims to:

Support student academic and social development
Promote the most effective use of campus resources
Facilitate academic engagement
Address disruptions to students’ academic and social stability
Manage situations causing distress in our community

Mission

The DU Cares program is a collaborative resource that partners with students, faculty, staff, and family members to provide support for and address disruptions to students’ academic and social stability and resolve behaviors that cause distress in our community. Utilizing a strengths-based approach, we promote the holistic growth and development of Denison students, increase their access to resources, and help them navigate challenges impacting their collegiate experience.

Philosophy of Care

The DU Cares team works to address situations involving complex intersections between students, faculty, staff, and academic and behavioral policies. As we work to support students in challenging situations, we utilize the following principles:

Student- and learning-centeredness

Students are the primary beneficiaries of the DU Cares program and services. We value their goals and ideas. We do work with and serve faculty and staff with the intent of providing a benefit to students and in support of their academic goals and pursuits. The Denison experience is intended to be learning and academically focused; and learning can at times be uncomfortable.

Autonomy and self-agency

DU Cares staff prioritize a student’s right to make independent decisions. As such, we treat students as adults capable of making and being accountable for their own decisions. We believe students are responsible for their own behavior, learning, and development. Challenges, failures, and mistakes are an integral part of the learning process.

We believe that students learn to exercise their sense of agency and autonomy through practice. We expect students to actively participate in their own learning, development, and support, to communicate their needs, and collaboratively identify options and solutions. Students should expect to engage with our team independently, follow through on support offered or referred, and communicate independently with faculty, staff, and parents.

Partnership and collaboration

DU Cares is a central part of the Denison University ecosystem. We are proud of our partnerships with students, faculty, staff, parents, and families that help students learn and achieve their goals. However, engaging with valued parents and friends does not replace direct interaction with the student. Parents and friends can expect to receive general advice and encouragement for their students to be directly in contact with DU Cares staff.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism

Student identities matter, and we actively promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism. We recognize diversity and embrace a cross-cultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each student. We encourage students to share any identities that will allow us to provide more comprehensive support, and we commit to honoring those identities.

We have the privilege and unique experience of working with and serving all Denison students. This carries with it the opportunity to identify and responsibility to address issues related to power, privilege, and oppression in all forms. We are committed to addressing systems that negatively and disproportionately impact marginalized communities.

What to expect

We prioritize autonomy and agency in our work with students. Generally, this means that we expect students to:

Engage directly with our team. While we will speak with parents and family members and provide general information pursuant to FERPA, we request that parents include the students in this process.
Communicate independently with others, including faculty, staff, administrators, parents, etc., in the absence of extraordinary circumstances that limit or prevent a student from doing so.
Maintain strategies for success, including following through on support or other referrals offered by the DU Cares team without persistent follow-up.
Be aware of student-related responsibilities, including syllabi contents, academic and policy deadlines, and Denison policies and procedures.

In our work with students, we commit to:

Respect a student’s right to decide to engage with our program, engage with resources we suggest, including treatment, or pursue policies we advise. Except in rare circumstances involving serious health and safety concerns, we do not require that students engage with us or monitor their follow-through after that engagement.
Trusting that students will honestly report their needs and concerns to us so that we can provide comprehensive and helpful support.