The UT Martin Office of Student Conduct and Care (OSCC) hosted the UTM CARE Team Supporting Student Well-Being Resource Bootcamp on Aug. 10 in the Boling University Center, bringing together campus and community professionals to provide faculty and staff with practical strategies and resources for supporting students.
The professional development event welcomed more than 50 in-person and virtual attendees for a full day of sessions addressing topics ranging from recognizing student distress and connecting students with appropriate resources to creating inclusive learning environments, navigating legal and policy considerations, supporting student-athletes and maintaining healthy professional boundaries.
As part of its commitment to student success, the OSCC works proactively to promote prevention, education and awareness around issues that can affect students’ academic and personal well-being. These efforts include increasing awareness of resources and strategies related to substance misuse prevention, mental health, healthy coping strategies, sexual health, stress management, interpersonal concerns and other challenges students may encounter during their college experience.
The day began with Dr. Laurie Couch, provost and senior vice chancellor or academic affairs, presenting “Guiding Principles for Your Role as an Agent for Student Success,” followed by Dr. Corinne Webster, director of wellness in the Office of Student Success at UT Health Sciences, who presented “The Benchmark of Well-Being.” Webster’s session emphasized the importance of student well-being as a critical component of student success, retention and graduation.
The bootcamp continued with a session led by Carrie Dean and Kimberly Bradshaw titled “Stressed vs. Distressed: Recognizing Typical Student Challenges Versus Signs That May Indicate a Student Needs Additional Support.” The session provided faculty and staff with guidance for distinguishing common student struggles from situations that may require additional intervention or connection to campus resources.
Dr. Kailyn Hall, assistant professor of English and first-year composition coordinator, presented “You Know What Happens When You Assume: Developing Syllabus for Student Success.” Hall addressed accessible syllabus design, classroom procedures and expectations, and strategies for helping students understand how to access resources.
The UTM CARE Team’s Shannon Perry, director of the UTM Office of Student Conduct and Care, led an interactive session titled “UTM CARE Team: What’s Your ‘Why’?” The discussion encouraged participants to reflect on the experiences, values and purposes that shape their work with students and how those motivations can strengthen student support, advocacy and care.
Additional sessions included “The Students We Never See,” presented by Will Gibson, manager of the Accessibility Resource Center and Testing Center. Gibson explored barriers that can cause students to become disconnected from campus and offered strategies for fostering empathy, connection and student well-being.
Ann Joiner, associate general counsel, presented “Legal and Policy Considerations in Higher Education,” providing an overview of federal, state and institutional policies affecting student support, including FERPA, Title IX, disability accommodations, mandated reporting obligations and student conduct procedures.
The afternoon featured “Behind the Jersey: Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Health,” presented by Ashley Bynum, senior associate athletics director, and Mia Saenz of Lexington, Ky., a magna cum laude May graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree and a fifth-year member of the Skyhawk volleyball team. The session examined the unique pressures student-athletes may experience and offered practical strategies for faculty and staff to recognize, support and advocate for student-athlete well-being.
The bootcamp concluded with Jennifer Ray, assistant director with UT Martin Student Health and Counseling Services, presenting “Caring With Boundaries: Practical Strategies for Supporting Students While Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue.” Ray discussed how faculty and staff can provide meaningful support while maintaining healthy boundaries and protecting their own well-being.
As the Office of Student Conduct and Care begins planning for fall 2027, it requests suggestions for topics or areas of focus that would be beneficial. Suggestions and feedback should be emailed to utmcareteam@utm.edu.
