Supporting Students in Crisis
Student well-being is a hot topic at American universities with the increase in academic and mental health challenges due to the recent pandemic. Many university staff find themselves overwhelmed with the rising numbers of students seeking out university resources. While universities have made great strides and expended additional efforts to support students in crisis, the fact remains that nothing can substitute for additional touch points providing critical guidance throughout the student journey, especially for vulnerable populations like international students.
Imagine the following scenario: it is final exams season, but an international student is having trouble concentrating because he has been the recent victim of an internet scam, having wired a significant amount of money to a foreign account. The scammers threaten the student and his family with violence if the police are involved. The student is afraid to contact the university for fear that his immigration status will be impacted. Afraid of what his parents may say, the student has stopped all communication and does not take their calls. This student is in a crisis that will now impact his academic performance and overall well-being if significant intervention is not provided.
Unfortunately, this was not a hypothetical situation. This past spring, parents of a former University Performance Program (UPP) student enrolled at a large public American university reached out to the UPP staff with an unusual question: was their child’s request for tuition money legitimate or was he being scammed? The parents were worried because they were having trouble reaching their child. They also did not possess the English ability and knowledge of the American system of higher education to validate the unusual financial request.
Scams targeting international students often prey on these students' vulnerabilities; they are often threatened with jail time, deportation, or violence toward their families. As the US justice system is unfamiliar, students often choose not to report these crimes, suffering in silence and fear. The parents of these students also feel uncertainty and helplessness when they suspect that their children may be involved in a scam. Is my child’s request for a large sum of money legitimate? Is my child in physical danger? Who can help my child and tell me what is going on?
Karin Sandler, Director of Programs for New Mind Education and UPP advisor, was asked to investigate the case by the student’s parents. She quickly verified that the financial request was fraudulent and did not come from the university. She then reached out to the student to ensure that he was physically safe and personally brought him to the police department to make a statement. “I wanted the student to know that I was there for him, in whatever capacity needed, whether it be language assistance or simply emotional support. I could see that he was blaming himself for what had happened to him. It was important that he knew that it wasn’t his fault and that he was the victim of a professional scam.” The student was grateful for the support and recognized that the problem was too challenging to solve by himself, “I felt stressed and bad because I can’t solve it by myself before I get help from Karin. She helped me to get to campus police and helped me to explain what happened in my situation.”
Not only did Ms. Sandler provide in-person support, but she also supplied regular updates to the student’s parents in their native language. In addition, she coordinated with key university departments to brief them on the situation and to verify that the incident would not affect his academic or immigration status, which was a source of great relief for the student.
In addition to suffering significant financial loss, the student was now faced with the daunting task of interacting with the American banking system in order to file reports and request new credit and debit cards. This proved to be a challenging task as it involved speaking to multiple representatives of the American bank over the telephone punctuated by long stretches on hold. Ms. Sandler was there to walk the student through these hurdles, providing clarification and language assistance as needed.
Even though the incident caused the student much stress and emotional pain, he felt a sense of relief and gratitude for the assistance he received, “I feel it’s helpful to solve my own issues after I work with Karin. Lastly, it will be useful for international students with UPP, if they’re fresh in US and can’t solve their own issues like me.” Sandler added, “International students face a variety of unexpected challenges while studying abroad. As an advisor, I am there to provide care and support for students while helping them make sense of everything that is going on, especially when things go wrong.”
Supporting students in these unique situations is often beyond the scope of typical university services. Addressing such sensitive issues requires a level of trust and time commitment that university staff may not be able to provide. International students are also reluctant to actively seek out support due to fear or shame unless they possess a strong relationship with someone that they trust.
Programs such as the University Performance Program supplement traditional university services by providing an additional layer of student support. By partnering with UPP, universities can feel confident that their students receive the extra attention necessary to support their overall well-being. A low advisor-to-student ratio coupled with weekly advising ensures that students receive the individualized support they need when they need it. UPP advisors also work closely with university staff as well as students’ parents to provide timely bilingual updates, thus closing the communication gap and providing peace of mind.
According to Sandler, “The value of such a safety net cannot be overstated. The success we’ve achieved as an organization is predicated on developing that strong foundation of student trust so that students feel comfortable coming to us about anything they may be concerned about. Since we meet with students in person at least once a week, we are aware of any changes in behavior that may indicate a potential problem and can address them in a timely manner. University staff can’t be everywhere at all times. Offering students a program like UPP can help bridge the gaps in international support ensuring that there are always ‘eyes’ on students in our most vulnerable populations.”
TIPS FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS:
Be aware of scammers who call impersonating government officials or agencies and ask students to provide their immigration information. These scammers will often threaten students with jail time or deportation unless payment is made. Note that communication from official US government sources will come by certified mail. They will not communicate by email, phone, or text.
Have students report any suspicious phone calls, emails, or texts to the university’s Immigration Office and campus police. Immigration officers can verify the legitimacy of university communication as opposed to scams.
Do not share personal or account information with strangers over the phone, email, or text. Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information in this way. If students fall victim to such scams, they should contact their bank’s fraud or complaint center immediately in order to replace cards and change account numbers.
Be careful of offers that seem too good to be true- cheap cars, inexpensive cell phones. These are almost always scams.
Be careful of scammers offering to obtain social security numbers or green cards for students.
If students receive unusual letters from their university, call or email the university to verify their authenticity before acting on any information.
If students receive any suspicious emails asking for money, especially in the form of gift cards, or demanding a wire transfer, have them delete these messages immediately.
One way to identify scammers is the sense of urgency that they use in communicating with potential victims and also the unusual ways they insist on being paid (gift cards, wire transfers)
For more information on the latest scams targeting international students, please visit: https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/common-scams