Psychological Emergency Procedures

In the event of a psychological emergency, the Dean of Students office will be notified. Psychological emergencies include:

• Irrational, uncontrollable or destructive behavior that is a threat to self and/or others.
• • Any situation in which a student appears out of touch with reality (i.e., disorganized speech, thoughts, behaviors, hallucinations).
  • Faculty/Staff response: Contact the OU Police Department immediately. OUPD will decide the need for medical treatment and will arrange for transportation to the nearest medical facility, if necessary.  
  • Contact the Dean of Students immediately.
  • Notify department chair or immediate supervisor.

• Suicide attempts, gestures or threats.
• • A suicide attempt or gesture is any situation in which a student tries to physically harm him/herself with the intention to kill him/herself.
  • A threat is any situation in which a student verbalizes his/her intentions to kill him/herself
  • Faculty/Staff response: Contact the OU Police Department immediately. OUPD will decide the need for medical treatment and will arrange for transportation to the nearest medical facility, if necessary.  
  • Contact the Dean of Students immediately.
  • Notify department chair or immediate supervisor.

• Depressed or unusually agitated individuals.
• • Any situation in which a student demonstrates feelings of extreme anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, loss of interest, inconsistent class attendance, decline in hygiene, etc.
  • Faculty/Staff response: Contact the Dean of Students immediately for consultation.
  • Family notification guidelines: Family (i.e., parents or legal guardian) may only be called by the Dean of Students or Assistant Dean of Students. The Dean or Assistant Dean will inform the family of university policy regarding psychological emergencies.
  • Medical administrative withdrawal: A medical administrative withdrawal may be invoked if the student is unwilling or unable to request a voluntary withdrawal or if the Dean of Students deems it necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or others. An administrative decision regarding the student’s ability to remain enrolled may be made by the Dean of Students based on the following:
    1. Consultation with representative(s) from the Graham Counseling Center
    2. Consultation with representative(s) from the OU Police Department
  • Any decision must consider not only the psychological stability of the student, but also the broader emotional impact on members of the campus community.
  • Re-enrollment process: Students who have received a medical administrative withdrawal must contact the Dean of Students office to complete the re-enrollment request process. This process is outlined in the Student Code of Conduct

Important phone numbers

Dean of Students office
From campus phones: 3352
From cell phones: (248) 370-3352

Vice President for Student Affairs
From campus phones: 4200
From cell phones: (248) 370-4200

OU Police Department - for emergencies
From campus phones: 911
From cell phones: (248) 370-3333

OU Police Department - for non-emergencies
From campus phones: 3331
From cell phones: (248) 370-3331
For the hearing-impaired: TTY 3337