» Student Resources

Should you talk to your friend?  

Yes, you should. There is very little that can go wrong by sharing your concerns with your friend. Its how they know you’re a friend.  

Establish Reasonable Goals, Know Your Limits and Set Good Boundaries  

Helping friends can be exhausting.  Here are some tips for taking care of yourself in the process:  

• Set Reasonable Expectations:  You must understand that not all concerns can be dealt with in a single conversation.  There will be setbacks; there will be disappointments; there will be struggles.  As you approach your friend, set a reasonable goal for yourself and for the conversation.  

• Understand Why You Are Approaching Them: Are they alienating people around them?  Are you afraid they might harm themselves?  Is their behavior keeping them from getting to class or attending social events?  Whatever the reason, go into a conversation knowing why you are talking to them.   

• Set Good Boundaries:  The popular concern expressed by friends of a student who is struggling is that they (the friends) are exhausted.  They are tired of staying up late, responding to crisis situations, and compromising their study/leisure time. Here are some common scenarios that we want to highlight:  
  • Friends staying up in shifts to take care of a student.  You need sleep and the student needs urgent care.  If you are concerned that a friend might harm themselves if you are not there to take care of them, please have them contact a family member to be with them, contact Public Safety (714-997-6763) or contact Consultation and Crisis Services (714-997-6778).  If this has already happened, let your friend know that going forward, you want to support them but will need to prioritize your own needs.  
  • Friends dealing with abusive behavior.  Under no circumstances should you endure abusive language or behavior.  Let the friend know that you care about them and want to support them but that you cannot put up with this behavior.  Let them know that if it continues, you will need to take a step back from supporting them.  Let them know that you will be available to talk when they calm themselves.  
  • Friends threatening to harm themselves if you don’t spend time with them (or implying that they will have no other option).  We ask that you immediately call our Public Safety (714-997-6603) and ask for a welfare check.  There are no situations where you should “wait it out.” If this has already happened in the past, share with the student that you care enough about them to choose their safety over their friendship.  
  • Friends who over-rely on you and refuse to seek outside support.  Share with your friend that you care deeply about them but that you cannot be available to them in the way they need.  Let them know that you will attend their first session (with a provider) with them or that you can have someone from the Dean of Students office contact them for support. Please be advised if you miss class, the professor might not consider the situation as an excused absence.   
• Know your Limits:  Friends sometimes discuss issues that go well beyond our ability to listen and express support.  Encourage friends to get outside help and assist them to do so.  Be honest about what you can and cannot handle.  Prioritize your needs.  

What to do Next  

Here are a few follow-up items worth considering:  

• Follow up: check in with them regularly. Do they need anything? How do they want you to be involved?  

• Let us help. If needed, we can reach out to your friend or just provide general support. Click her to submit a CARE Referral.  

This page is designed for students and families seeking practical strategies on how to best manage their academics while balancing self-care and support.  Some strategies can have impacts on a student’s ability to graduate on time, participate in study abroad, receive financial aid, and remain in university housing.  Where possible, we have indicated the potential impacts included. To review the deadlines for this academic term, please see the academic calendars.  

• Timeline of Available Academic Strategies   
  • Before Classes Begin   
    • Academic Options: 
      •  Interrupted Enrollment  
        • Considerations: Leaves are helpful in situations where significant life circumstances would impact student’s performance throughout the semester.  Consult with your advisor on things like: graduation planning and study abroad.  
        • Registering with Disability Services, if applicable 
  •  During the Add/Drop Period   
    • You may want to consider whether continuing on a course is in your best interest. If you are not going to pass the course, remaining in the course only to receive a failing grade will harm your grade point average.  
      • Considerations: Needing to maintain full time status for athletic eligibility, financial aid eligibility or your visa status. Please consult with the appropriate office before making the decision to withdrawal from a course. (https://www.chapman.edu/students/tuition-and-aid/financial-aid/undergraduate/info-guide.aspx).  
      • Not completing 12 units in an academic term can lead to a student to not meeting “Satisfactory Academic Progress,” and therefore be ineligible to receive financial aid. However, in many cases, it may be reinstated, on a case-by-case basis, through an appeal. For more information, please contact Financial Aid.  
  • After Add/Drop Period, and Once Grades are Published   
    • Academic Options:  
      • Repeat the Course for a higher grade  
      • Request for Petition for Late Withdrawal  
      • Request an Incomplete from your faculty member  
    • Considerations:  
      • Course repeats are recommended when one or two courses are impacted and the student has otherwise done well.  Course repeats are also more useful for students who are in their first or second year as they have more room in their schedule to accommodate a repeat.  
      • Late Withdrawals are not automatically granted and require documentation of your extenuating circumstances.  
      •  Incompletes are only appropriate for students with a small portion of the course to be completed (generally about 30%) and for students who have a passing grade at the time an incomplete is issued. Incompletes are issued at the professor’s discretion and the Dean of Students office cannot issue an incomplete.  
      • Not completing 12 units in an academic term can lead to a student to not meet “Satisfactory Academic Progress,” and therefore be ineligible to receive financial aid. However, in many cases, it may be reinstated, on a case-by-case basis, through an appeal. For more information, please contact Financial Aid.  

This page highlights specific resources designed to assist and support students based on their multiple identities. Students and families can find Academic Resources, Clubs, and Organizations by visiting The Office of Diversity & Inclusion webpage to get connected with resources.   

Student Engagement 

CARES  

Fish Interfaith Center 

Cross Cultural Center  

Students and families in need of advice or support around issues related to food and financial insecurity are encouraged to contact our office.  Below, we have summarized some of the most common resources available to students at Chapman:  

Chapmans Resources Related to Financial and Housing Insecurity   

• Food Pantry 
  •   Chapman food pantries provide an assortment of healthy meal options to facilitate student success at Chapman. The food pantries are located at the Orange Campus and at the Rinker Campus  
• CalFresh   
  • CalFresh is a state program that awards you up to $281 a month for groceries.  
•   Financial Aid and Scholarships   
  • Students seeking tuition assistance should consult with staff from Financial Aid.  Scholarships and other Federal Financial Aid are available.  Funds are limited based on the date of application.  
• On-Campus Jobs and Federal Work Study   
  • Student employees work in almost every department of the University.  Student Employment offers undergraduate degree-seeking students an opportunity to gain valuable work experience.  This link has an online database where departments post on campus and federal work-study jobs.  Use your Chapman username and password to search for openings.  

Often, Students experiencing significant illness or those returning from an injury or surgery may struggle to get around or attend appointments. We’ve done our best here to try to summarize some of the most common resources available to these students:  

• Disability Services works with students on a case-by-case basis, determining reasonable accommodations. Disability Services will discuss options for evaluation with the student and make appropriate referrals. Where appropriate, Disability Services can make accommodations related to classes, housing , and other areas affecting the student’s experience at Chapman. 
  •  To register for accommodations, the first step is for students to use their Chapman email to send their disability documentation to ds@chapman.edu. Once received, the student will be given information on scheduling an intake appointment. During the intake appointment they'll meet with a specialist who will approve and finalize accommodations and teach them how to utilize the accommodations at Chapman (e.g., how to renew accommodations each semester, how to notify professors, how to book seats at the Testing Center, etc.). If you have any questions, please email ds@chapman.edu or call (714) 516-4520.   
• Residence Life and First Year Experience (RLFYE) provides housing accommodations (e.g., ADA compliant room, roll in shower, etc.) for students with disabilities. Students requesting housing accommodations must fill out the Disability Accommodation Request Form, and licensed health care providers must provide a letter that meets the criteria outlined on the Disability Accommodation Request Form. All housing accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated by the professional staff serving on the RLFYE Accommodations Committee. If you have any questions, please email reslife@chapman.edu or call (714) 997-6603.   

Students interested in withdrawing from courses should be aware of the financial implications of doing so, including possibility needing to return financial aid Students considering withdrawal are suggested to first connect with their course faculty before making the decision.   

Interrupted Enrollment   

•  Chapman’s interrupted enrollment policy allows undergraduate students in good academic standing to take a leave for up to four consecutive semesters without having to apply for re-enrollment. We recommend that you review the full interrupted enrollment policy.  There is no official paperwork to submit for interrupted enrollment. If you are signed up to live in Chapman housing, you must contact the housing office so to either check out of housing or to cancel your housing; additionally, if you received any financial aid, it is recommended that you contact finaid@chapman.edu if you have any questions about scholarships/grants. You will need to submit a “Request for Revision” form to financial aid to have your aid reinstated upon your return.  
• Graduate students should speak with their program director to discuss a leave of absence.  

Late Withdrawal Petition  

• If students experience significant medical or family difficulties or emergency situations during the semester, students may need to withdraw from one or more classes after the withdrawal deadline. The late withdrawal petition process through the Dean of Students Office is designed for students experiencing serious medical or mental health concerns, significant family or personal emergencies, or relocation due to their military status or occupation. Please note that these petitions are requests and are not automatically granted.