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Support Our Students

Rochester University is committed to helping students succeed in their collegiate journeys by supporting the whole student – body, mind, and spirit – within a Christian setting. We recognize that college brings unique challenges and opportunities for each student. We are here to support you! We have a variety of campus-wide resources that offer support.

Here’s how you can connect with us and access campus support and resources:

Communicate With Us

The Support Our Students (SOS) team meets regularly to provide individualized support to students who may need additional resources. Want to communicate with our SOS Team? Email sos@rochesteru.edu and we’ll be in touch soon!

Utilize Campus Resources

The RU campus has a variety of resources for you to take advantage of, spanning from academic to mental health support. Read below for more information.

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  • Academic Center for Excellence (ACE): The ACE provides free peer tutoring sessions, study resources, computer & printer stations, and academic support.
  • Ennis and Nancy Ham Library: The library provides access to materials in traditional and electronic formats and staff can also help with research and scholarship questions.
  • Professors: Rochester University students are encouraged to discuss academic concerns with their professors and academic advisors. For faculty contact information, check your syllabi or visit the faculty directory.
  • IT Support / Help Desk: The Help Desk provides support for information technology questions and concerns. You can email helpdesk@rochesteru.edu any time. Phone and face-to-face help is available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Call 248-218-2080 or visit the offices upstairs in Campus Center. The Help Desk also addresses campus maintenance concerns and campus safety.
  • Psychology Clinic: Professional psychology counseling is available on campus on a no-fee, short-term basis, or with a low fee for longer-term psychotherapy. All services are confidential. Appointments can be made by contacting Dr. Gordon Mackinnon at 248-218-2122 or gmackinnon@rochesteru.edu.
  • Center for Student Life: The Center for Student Life helps to foster personal relationships and responsibility through mentoring, group activities, student organizations, and campus programming. Stop by The Center for Student Life in the Campus Center (CC) to discover what programs and services happening this semester.
  • Advising: Your advisor provides guidance, support, and resources as you navigate through your academic journey and prepare for your post-collegiate career. All students have an advisor. If you are unsure of who yours is, contact registrar@rochesteru.edu.
  • Student Financial Services: Student Financial Services provides support and financial guidance to you as you invest in your future. Staff members are available to help you make sure you are using your financial resources to the best of your ability.
  • Career Services: Staff members help you identify your strengths, research careers, and find part-time employment and internships on and off-campus. Career Services also hosts information sessions and career fairs during the semester.
  • Accelerated Learning: Staff members can help you review the best academic program for your schedule. Learn more about accelerated learning by contacting Katie Kilpatrick at kkilpatrick@rochesteru.edu or (586) 263-6691.
  • Moodle & Online Learning: Rochester University uses Moodle for online learning. You can visit the ACE lab for support with Moodle, and also contact Donna Love, our Director of Online Technology at dlove@rochesteru.edu or helpdesk@rochesteru.edu.

Supporting Students Through Grief & Significant Life Changes

Rochester University is committed to helping students succeed in their collegiate careers by supporting the whole student – body, mind, and spirit – within a Christian setting. As such, Rochester University understands that many students undergo difficult life events amidst academic coursework and responsibilities. Death, sickness, and significant life challenges can present additional challenges and difficulties to students. Rochester University is committed to helping students during these challenging times by providing academic support, counseling, ministry, support groups, and options for potential alternative academic plans so that students may best cope and meet the challenges of life.

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Students looking for support can touch base with any of the following groups on campus:

  • Support Our Students: The Support Our Students (SOS) program provides additional support and connection points to students. A committee of staff and faculty members meet regularly to ensure that students receive additional support and encouragement. Contact the SOS Team at sos@rochesteru.edu!
  • Campus Ministry: Ministry staff members are happy to sit down and talk with you, pray with you, and provide support and encouragement. Campus Ministry hosts a variety of events and programs throughout the semester.
  • Psychology & Counseling Center: Professional psychology counseling is available on campus on a no-fee, short-term basis, or with a low fee for longer-term psychotherapy. All services are confidential. Appointments can be made by contacting Dr. Gordon Mackinnon at (248) 218-2112 or gmackinnon@rochesteru.edu.
  • Student Care Team (SCT): The mission of SCT is 1) to provide a systematic and confidential response to students whose behavior is disruptive to themselves or to the environment; 2) to support the success of students; and 3) to assist in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the students and members of the university. The SCT is a multi-disciplined faculty and staff working group whose purpose is to coordinate the resources of the university to address the needs of students who are experiencing difficulties, disruptions, or behavioral disturbances, in order to recommend collaborative and purposeful interventions aimed at helping students achieve success. Further, the objective of the SCT is to establish a process that is designated to be helpful to students, particularly when the rights of others are being affected or an individual’s own growth and development are being endangered. This process is also designed to assist members of the university community with a concern for a student who seems to be experiencing emotional distress, psychological difficulties, or is unable to handle stressful circumstances. Following a referral or information submission, the SCT will evaluate the situation and respond appropriately through a collaborative and authoritative decision-making process.

Student Processes if_right_arrow_476325_white

Connecting with departments on campus is an important step in order for Rochester University to provide you with the best-individualized support. If you are looking to pause your academic semester in order to focus on other important aspects of life, it’s imperative that you connect with campus departments to best understand your options (financially and academically):

  1. It’s important that you first check with Student Financial Services (email sfs@rochesteru.edu) to see the financial implications of not completing or dropping courses at the current point in the term.
  2. Check with your Professors to see if it’s possible to take an incomplete for your courses. If an incomplete is not an option, talk to your professors and instructors about your current situation and possible support they may be able to provide.
  3. After checking in with Student Financial Services and your current professors, you may be able to take online or accelerated Session B courses to continue being a student while allowing you greater flexibility. Visit your Academic Advisor or Academic Services/Registrar to see what classes and options will work best for your degree plan.
  4. If you need to continue taking classes this semester, reach out to the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) The ACE provides one-on-one tutoring support, online writing support, and online academic resources to help you with your academics.

Community Support if_right_arrow_476325_white

Outside of the immediate Rochester University community, our surrounding community also provides a variety of resources and support groups to help students during difficult times.

If you believe that someone is going to harm themself or others, please call 911.

If you believe that someone may become a threat or is in great need, please call Rochester University Security at 248-765-8013 and the Dean of Students at 248-218-2040.

You can reach Rochester University Counseling Services at 248-218-2122.

Hotlines:

  • Common Ground Sanctuary: 1-800-231-1127
  • Macomb Crisis Center Hotline (Macomb County): 586-307-9100
  • Veterans Crisis Line: 800-273-8255, press 1
  • Haven (domestic abuse & sexual assault): 248-334-1274
  • Oakland County Office of Substance Abuse: 248-858-0001

Local Emergency Medical Care:

  • Crittenton Hospital (Rochester): 248-652-5311
  • Troy Beaumont Hospital: 248-964-5000
  • Henry Ford Medical Center: 248-242-2700
  • Doctor’s Hospital of Michigan (Pontiac): 248-338-5332
  • St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (Pontiac): 248-858-3117

Graham Health Center, University Counseling Center

Services

  • The Graham Health Center at Oakland University (provides services to all current OU students and students from neighboring colleges)

Contact Information

Perspectives Counseling Centers

Services

  • Services include individual and group therapy for children, adolescents and adults, marriage and family therapy; Christian counseling; testing and assessment; seminars; the E.D.G.E . program; and more.

Contact Information

  • Three Locations:
    • Troy, MI (248-244-8644)
    • Sterling Heights, MI (586-268-6712)
    • Novi, MI

Costs & Insurance Coverage

  • Most insurance is accepted; office staff of health insurance claims personnel will help to handle and verify your insurance as well as submit claims
  • Does not accept Medicaid; does accept Medicare
  • If insurance coverage is an issue can work with a supervised graduate-level intern for as low of a fee as $25 or less
  • Sliding fee scale available as requested

Oakland Hills Counseling, LLC

Services

  • Individual, marriage, and family counseling available

Contact Information

Costs and Insurance Coverage

  • Oakland Hills Counseling is not a contracted “in-network” or “preferred provider” with any insurance agency. Upon request, Oakland Hills Counseling will provide counseling service receipts with all required documentation, which you can submit to your insurance provider. To determine if you have mental health coverage, start by contacting your insurance carrier.

Aspects Counseling

Services

  • Individual, marriage, group, and parents counseling available
  • Rebecca S. Trouse, MA, LPC, NCC (an adjunct faculty member at RU)

Contact Information

Costs and Insurance Coverage

  • Aspects Counseling does not directly bill your insurance company but is able to provide you with a statement to submit, if you so desire. Some individuals may be eligible for reduced rates due to their financial situation

Counseling Center for Women

Services

  • Staff is committed to helping women identify strengths, facilitate personal growth, and ultimately take control over their lives. Even though the Center focuses primarily on issues concerning women, we also work with men, couples, adolescents and children.

Contact Information

  • Address: 71 Walnut, Suite 207, Rochester, MI, 48307
  • Phone Number: (248-650-1136)

Cost and Insurance Information

  • Accepts limited insurance; uses a sliding fee scale; fees are reasonable and will work to accommodate low-income clients

Woodside Bible Church: Grief Support Group

Services

  • Videos, personal workbook, and group meetings/discussions are available for anyone

Contact Information

Online Resources

  • Half of Us: Loss
    • “mtvU and the Jed Foundation launched a campaign to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues on campus and connect students to the appropriate resources to get help. “Half of Us” represents the reality that nearly half of all college students have felt so depressed they could not function. Included at Half of Us are school-specific and national resources, an anonymous screening tool for a range of emotional disorders, and opportunities for interactivity and expression.”
    • Half of Us
  • Resources & Websites provided on Graham Health Center’s “Grief & Loss” Section:
    • beliefnet.com – provides religion-based support to people of many faiths
    • griefnet.org – information and online support groups for people coping with grief and loss
    • AARP.org/griefandloss/home.html – an American Association of Retired Persons site
    • NHPCO.org – sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
    • centering.org – provides education and resources for the bereaved.
    • grief.net – provides information on helping deal with a death, divorce, or other major losses.

Pornography Addiction Support if_right_arrow_476325_white

Sexual addiction is a real struggle, but there are resources and ministries available for support, healing, and treatment:

  • RU Campus Support: Talk to our Campus Ministry, campusministry@rochesteru.edu or Counseling Clinic, gmackinnon@rochesteru.edu about individual counseling opportunities available to you. We want to support you!
  • Pure Desires Ministry: Pure Desire Ministries International provides a task-centered treatment model for singles and married couples, delivered within the framework of sound biblical principles. Let us help you find freedom from shame and isolation. There is hope!
  • The Freedom Fight: This site provides effective, affordable and Biblically-based recovery options in the form of videos and tutorials. The first 3 videos are free, and the others come with small, affordable costs.
  • Beggar’s Daughter: This site provides resources and support for women struggling with porn, sex, singleness, sexual exploitation, and provides tools and grace.
  • Other Tools: Use filtering Google Safe Search, Covenant Eyes, or Safe Eyes; find an accountability partner or mentor; learn to say “I’m feeling spiritually weak, can we hang out?” to those who you can use for support when you are struggling; seek counseling and therapy; purchase a “dumb-phone” that limits your access to content.