Supporting CIA Students: Health and Safety
Becoming a CIA student is amazing, exciting, and, well, maybe just a tiny bit scary. Living and learning away from home, meeting new people, balancing a full schedule of classes… it’s a lot!
We understand. That’s why we’ve got caring and committed professionals who help our students from Day One to graduation day. Here, we’re answering the questions, “Is the CIA campus safe?” and, “Is there help for students in making the transition to college?” by telling you about two of our most important support teams.
CIA Campus Safety
The CIA is a wonderful place to live and learn, and that’s in no small part because of the efforts of CIA Campus Safety and the support of the entire campus community.
“We enjoy a very safe campus,” says Bill Carey, director of campus safety. “The Safety Office is here to support students and help them out in any way we can; we have a true customer service focus.”
Safety officers maintain a 24-hour presence on campus, and every day you’ll see them talking with students, walking through the residence halls and academic buildings, and keeping watch over everything happening on the grounds. The CIA is also protected with CCTV (closed-circuit television) monitoring, electronic card access to the residence halls, and restricted nighttime entrance to campus. Students can use one of the many blue-light emergency phones on campus to report a problem or simply to request an escort from Campus Safety to walk them back to the residence hall.
In the event of an emergency, the team deploys the Everbridge Mass Notification system, alerting the campus community of important information by phone, text, and/or e-mail. Students are automatically registered with Everbridge with their CIA e-mail address when they enroll and are encouraged to log in to Everbridge via CIA Main Menu (the student portal) to add phone, text, and other contact information to their profile.
Learn more in the annual CIA Security, Fire Safety, and Statistics Report.
Counseling and Psychological Services
CIA students turn to the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) team when they need confidential assistance with personal matters such as relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners; adjusting to change; stress and overwhelm; anxiety; intense sadness that will not go away; depression; and substance use concerns.
“Students may find themselves in an adjustment period that looks like homesickness, and it may take them some time to find their way,” says Christiane Mueller, LCSW, director of CAPS. “It can help to know that with time and the right support, most students adjust really well. This support can be found by joining in activities provided by our Residence Life team, going to tutoring, finding a student or chef mentor, and, of course, through CAPS services.”
The mission of CAPS is to promote the overall mental health and well-being of students, from adjusting to college all the way through graduation. Its caring staff is invested in student development and building life skills such as resilience, self-awareness, and relational abilities. The team also provides supportive counseling, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and coordination of comprehensive treatment with off-campus providers, as well as educational and consultative services. CAPS is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, and all services are free and confidential.
“I always advise students and families to have patience with the process,” says Ms. Mueller. “It can help to schedule time to talk, as our students can be very busy with classes and homework. It’s important for students and the whole family to give yourselves time to adjust to the changes that you are all going through.”