|
|
|
|
|
Published in The Spectator, the student newspaper of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire;
Thursday, February 15, 2001
Senate debates online counseling
By Bill Olson
The University Senate debated a policy that includes the meaning of
�counseling� for long-distance and online students Tuesday.
The policy includes �placement and counseling� among the services
provided to students of distance education and Web-based courses, said Susan Harrison, chair of the University Senate.
Counseling Services wants a disclaimer that says it will not do
personal counseling online.
�I think we�re on thin ice,� said Katherine Schneider, coordinator of
training and a senior psychologist at UW-Eau Claire Counseling
Services.
Counseling Services could not guarantee the confidentiality of
counseling via e-mail, she said, because someone could hack into it.
Schneider also is concerned about the quality of service.
�Most people would kind of assume that (students) shouldn�t e-mail
us that they were suicidal,� Schneider said, �but on the other hand,
what if they did? And what if they e-mailed Friday night and I didn�t
read that until Monday? That would be horrible.�
She said the disclaimer is important so students know what to
expect at the outset.
�We don�t want students turning to us when they�re in some
significant amount of distress and thinking they�re going to get
something that we can�t ethically give,� she said.
Schneider said the UW System probably did not consider the
different types of counseling when it wrote the policy.
�They probably just went down a list of student services and said
�we provide this, this and this,� Schneider said.
The system also may think the technology is beyond where it is, she
said, because some private enterprises are providing counseling over
phone lines or via two-way television.
�But we don�t have either the technology or the knowledge to do
that right,� she said.
For example, if someone in Alaska asked advice about child or elder
abuse, Schneider said she might not know the exact state laws on
mandatory reporting, because it�s difficult to know the laws for all 50
states.
�It�s asking people to do what they can�t ethically or responsibly do,�
she said.
The motion was sent back to the technology committee, which will
contact the UW System to determine what it meant by �counseling.�
|
|