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<font size=3>See below:<br><br>
I am sure new campus policies are on the way: In the interim, the
phone number for the Counseling Center is 2-5531; the center recommends,
if you have a profoundly upset student, that you offer to walk them over
to the center (office hours are 8-5 M-F). If the student refuses to
go to the counseling center AND if you believe the student represents a
risk to himself/herself and/or others, call the campus police at 2-5222;
if they're being disruptive or if you believe imminent harm is possible,
do not hesitate: call 911. The counseling center website is
<a href="http://counseling.ucr.edu/" eudora="autourl">
http://counseling.ucr.edu/</a>. The website has a list of other places to
refer students:
<a href="http://counseling.ucr.edu/Resources/Emergency+Information.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://counseling.ucr.edu/Resources/Emergency+Information.htm</a>
It also has a brochure, 'Assisting the Emotionally
Distressed Student: A Guide to Faculty and Staff," free for the
asking. I have a copy if anybody wants to borrow for a quick
read.<br><br>
At 01:13 PM 4/18/2007, Amanda J Labagnara wrote:<br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3> <br>
Dear All,<br><br>
<br>
</font><font size=2>This article, from today's <i>LA Times</i>, brought
back memories of a frightening, volatile, and intimidating student we had
some years ago in CRWT. This</font><font size=3> student was much
like Cho, and it's scary how similarly I (and other of our CRWT faculty)
dealt with him in the ways described in the article. If anything
"good" comes of this terrible tragedy, may it be that colleges
and universities <i>immeditately</i> institute some effective programs to
<i>closely</i> track, counsel, and closely monitor disturbed and
potentially violent students--<br>
<br>
"Well-known poet Nikki Giovanni, who taught him creative writing,
observed him in the class with dark sunglasses and a ball cap jammed down
over his face. He turned in assignments she found disturbing. Sometimes
he snapped unwanted cellphone photos of classmates. Students stopped
showing up for class, telling her, "The guy's really creepy."
At one point she had guards stationed nearby.<br>
<br>
<br>
Several students and professors who had seen Cho's poetry, plays and
fiction from 2005 described it as filled with graphic violence.<br><br>
Lucinda Roy, chairwoman of the English department, worried about his
stability and urged him to seek counseling at the school. He apparently
did not.<br><br>
Giovanni, the former creative writing instructor, said she took some of
Cho's writing to Roy and told her that she could no longer teach
him.<br><br>
"I couldn't allow him to destroy my class," she said.<br><br>
Roy agreed to teach Cho in a private tutorial setting, Giovanni
said.<br><br>
Roy gave Cho an A for the semester. Giovanni thinks he got the grade not
for talent or effort, but because he was "intimidating" and
that it was decided it was best to keep him happy. <i>(Pamala's
personal comment: Tell it, Nikki! Amen, amen! Only one
life to live!!!)</i><br><br>
"I think he liked the idea that he was a scary guy," Giovanni
said. "Some people like that. That's how they define
themselves."<br><br>
Maurya Simon<br><br>
Professor <br>
Department of Creative Writing<br>
University of California Riverside<br>
900 University Avenue<br>
Riverside, CA 92521-0318<br><br>
TEL. (951) 827-2006 (office)<br><br>
FAX: (951) 827-3619 </font></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font face="Palatino Linotype" size=3><b><i>D. Charles Whitney</i></b>,
</font><font face="Palatino Linotype" size=2>Professor and Chair,
Creative Writing; Professor of Sociology<br>
Department of Creative Writing, 1607 HMNSS <br>
University of California , 900 University Ave.<br>
Riverside, CA 92521-0118 951.827.6076 / Fax
951.827.3619</font><font size=3> <br><br>
</font><font face="Californian FB" size=3><i>Reality is merely an
illusion, albeit a very persistent one.</i></font>
<font face="Calisto MT" size=1>-
</font><font face="Californian FB" size=2>Albert Einstein<br>
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