/Student Affairs
Student Support Team

Frequently Asked Questions

For Students

The Student Support Team is a group committed to supporting Stony Brook University students' emotional, physical, and intellectual wellness. If a student needs help with how or where to get help, the Support Team will provide proactive and supportive consultation and refer students to other on-campus resources, as needed.

Students should contact the Student Support Team when they experience unexpected challenges that impact their studies. We welcome any opportunity to provide consultation, answer questions, respond to concerns, or direct them to the best resource to meet their needs. Students can connect with us via phone, virtual, or in-person meetings.

Students are expected to reach out to their professors independently when they need to miss class. Each course will provide a syllabus that outlines procedures for missed classes and excused absences.

Communication from the Student Support Team is most appropriate when there has been an extended absence due to a hospitalization, family illness, or death. Students should communicate and work directly with their faculty members in the event of a short-term absence.

The Student Support Team cannot change grades, extend deadlines, or excuse students from classes. Our team will accept documentation and write to the academic department, protecting the anonymity of the information and connecting the student with their faculty member to discuss options that may be available to them. Students are informed that any assignment flexibility is at the discretion of individual faculty members and academic departments.

Students will need to provide documentation to the Student Support Team for the team to contact faculty members in the event of an unexpected challenge. Examples of documentation may include medical documentation or hospital discharge paperwork. If a student is unable to provide documentation, they are still encouraged to contact the Student Support Team to discuss circumstances and options for support.

The Student Support Team can email a student’s academic departments to let them know of an unexpected challenge, provided that a student provides us with proper documentation.

Sometimes, students may need support as they decide on a possible leave of absence. The Student Support Team will offer guidance through the decision-making process.

Students needing to request reasonable accommodations for an ongoing disability should contact the Student Accessibility Support Center to schedule an intake appointment with an accessibility support counselor.

Sometimes, students may need support as they decide on a possible leave of absence. The Student Support Team will offer guidance through the decision-making process.

Yes. Our Peer Support Intern Team is a peer-to-peer team available to connect with students seeking a space to chat, connect, and discuss campus engagement. Students can schedule a meeting with a Peer Support Intern by completing this form.

We understand students may sometimes face financial hardship during their time at Stony Brook. The Student Support Team is here to listen to your story, provide support, and connect you with resources. 

The Student Emergency Support Fund provides limited grant funding to matriculated Stony Brook undergraduate and graduate students experiencing an unexpected financial crisis that may be impacting their ability to continue their academic journey.

Yes. We encourage students to connect with our team if they face housing or food insecurity. Fueling your body with nutrients and finding a safe place to sleep is crucial for students to thrive academically. We will talk through resources, including the Stony Brook Food Pantry, and offer support.

In an emergency, call University Police at 631-632-3333 or 911 if you are off campus.

Yes. Our Peer Support Intern Team is a peer-to-peer team available to connect with students seeking a space to chat and connect and discuss campus engagement. Students can schedule a meeting with a Peer Support Intern by completing this form.

Student Support Team members are available for phone, virtual, or in-person conversations. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Summer hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are located in the Stony Brook Union, Suite 106.

 

For Faculty and Staff

It is appropriate to refer your student to the Student Support Team when they have experienced serious challenges, including hospitalization, mental health concerns, medical emergencies, the death of a loved one, or basic needs insecurity.

We hope you, as our campus partners, will reach out to discuss your concerns and best options for connecting us with the student. Our goal is to ensure that each student effectively balances their own health and well-being with the academic demands of Stony Brook University by connecting them to the appropriate campus resources.

Communication from the Student Support Team is most appropriate when an extended absence is due to a hospitalization, family illness, or death. Students should communicate and work directly with their faculty members in the event of a short-term absence.

We are your campus partners, so please let us know if you are concerned about one of your students please see our Concern for a Student page. We are here to discuss the situation and ensure the student is connected with the appropriate campus resource.

While the Student Support Team does not have the authority to excuse an absence or extend a deadline, we act as a bridge to connect the student directly with their academic department and faculty member. Our team will accept documentation and write to the academic department, protecting the anonymity of the information and connecting the student with their faculty member to discuss options that may be available to them. Students are clearly informed that any flexibility with assignments is at the discretion of individual faculty members and academic departments.

Yes! We understand Seawolves may face significant hardship during their time as a student at Stony Brook. The Student Support Team is here to listen to their story, provide support, and connect them with resources, including the Student Emergency Support Fund.

Yes. We understand that finding a safe place to sleep and fueling their body with nutrients is crucial for students to thrive academically. We will meet with the student to discuss their particular needs and connect them to supportive resources that may be available.

We welcome the opportunity to connect with our campus partners during staff or faculty meetings. We aim to help faculty and staff understand how our office can be best utilized and how to collaborate to support our students most effectively. Please invite us!