SOCAT

Overview

The Students of Concern Assistance Team (SOCAT) serves as the university's Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) — an interdisciplinary group of professionals that reviews reports of students exhibiting concerning, disruptive, or distressed behaviors that may impact their well-being or the campus community. 

SOCAT assesses referrals, evaluates potential risks, and collaborates with Student Outreach & Support (SOS) and other campus partners to develop coordinated intervention and support strategies. The team also monitors patterns of concerning behavior, identifies emerging trends, and works proactively to promote student success, safety, and well-being across the university community.

Mission

SOCAT continuously assesses, analyzes, monitors, and responds to the behavioral concerns of students in an effort to ensure individual and campus-wide safety.

Vision

SOCAT is concerned with the wellbeing of all students and is committed to creating an environment that is safe for learning and development.

What SOCAT does

  • Makes recommendations to USF officials on appropriate action consistent with university policies and procedures.
  • Coordinates the campus response to distressing, disruptive, or potentially harmful student situations.
  • Collaborates with campus partners to develop specific strategies to manage distressing, disruptive, or potentially harmful student behavior with regard to the safety and rights of others.
  • Minimizes the impact of disruptive behavior on the community.
  • Shares educational need-to-know information with campus partners to ensure continuity of support for a student-in-need of support.

SOCAT Membership

SOCAT membership should include the following core departments:

  • Dean of Students
  • Counseling Center
  • Student Health Services
  • Student Outreach & Support
  • Student Conduct and Ethical Development
  • University Police
  • Housing and Residential Education
  • Graduate Studies
  • Student Accessibility Services
  • Undergraduate Studies

The following departments consult with SOCAT as needed:

  • Title IX
  • Office of Veteran Success
  • Academic Affairs
  • USF World 
  • Center for Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention
  • Athletics

Each USF campus has its own SOCAT committee that seeks to determine the level of concern and intensity of intervention needed to best assist each referred student.