Campus Life

Faculty and staff reminded of student support resource, Red Folder

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Remote learning brings a whole new set of challenges for faculty, staff and students alike. One thing that remains constant is the availability of resources at the University to help support distressed students inside and outside the classroom, even when that classroom is in a virtual space, through the Red Folder initiative

The Red Folder website serves as a guide to help faculty and staff more effectively recognize and respond to the needs of distressed students and knowledgeably refer students to helpful resources.

Most of the resources listed on the Red Folder website are operating remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also are available via phone or email.

The Red Folder provides information on common indicators of student distress in four domains: academic, physical, psychological and safety risk. It offers in-the-moment process tips on how to help a student in distress; and provides a decision tree and detailed list of campus resources, tiered by level of urgency.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) in collaboration with the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) launched the Red Folder initiative in 2018 with the release of a physical folder for University Park faculty, staff and administrators. Shortly after, folders were developed for each campus, and Penn State Student Affairs launched the website in 2019. The website mirrors the physical folders and lists resources for each campus.

To learn about what Red Folder resources are available at your campus, please visit the Red Folder website. In times of crisis, students are encouraged to call the 24/7 Penn State Crisis line at 1-877-229-6400 or text “LIONS” to 741741. In the case of an absolute emergency, please call 911.

Last Updated September 23, 2020