Kansas University and the Lawrence school district have policies and procedures in place to help educators, staffers and others identify disturbed students and get them the help they may need.

The goal: Help the students get better.

The effect: Keep classrooms and campuses safe.

“Our schools deal with students all the time that have emotional and psychological issues,” said Rick Doll, superintendent of the Lawrence school district, which has 11,000 students. “Our first line of support is our counselors, the first line to try to provide assistance. Then we’d be in touch with local mental health services. We have a very close relationship with Bert Nash (Community Mental Health Center). We can’t force people to get treatment, but we can certainly make that treatment available to them.

“Ultimately, if the student was so disruptive, it would be handled at the administration level — and that could be the whole gamut of administrative consequences, culminating with, if they’re totally disruptive, up to and including suspension and expulsion.”

Such procedures and policies are of heightened interest these days, after an man who attended a community college in Arizona — a man widely regarded by students and staffers alike as disturbed — is suspected of killing six and injuring 14 during a shooting Jan. 8 outside a supermarket in Tucson, Ariz.

At KU, students, faculty and staffers with concerns about a student’s behavior can turn to the university’s Student Conduct Review Team, whose members investigate and determine the need for further assessment or whether the student is a danger to himself, herself or others. The team, which is made of up staffers from the Office of Student Success, then recommends a response by university officials.

“It can range from trying to facilitate some assistance or lead to expulsion, depending on the circumstances,” said Todd Cohen, a university spokesman.

At KU, people may contact the team when a student:

• Exhibits an outburst or disturbing behavior in a classroom or other campus location.

• Submits a “dark” or otherwise disturbing passage in a written work.

• Makes threats involving guns, other weapons, or explosive devises either verbally or in writing (including electronically through social networks).

• Reports being troubled by what appears to be “stalking” behavior.

• Acts in a manner or makes statements that are interpreted as posing a threat of violence.

• Exhibits gestures that appear bizarre, threatening, or dangerous — either in person or on videotape.

• Becomes extremely angry and unleashes a loud and abusive verbal attack, such as one regarding a poor or failing grade.

• Habitually demands services beyond the scope and mission of the office or department, or after regular hours of service.

In cases involving the high likelihood of imminent danger, people should call 911 immediately, Cohen said. Otherwise, people may call 864-4060 during business hours and ask for the SCRT.

Even though many students in college are adults — once they’re 18, they legally make their own decisions about medications and treatment — the university community shouldn’t feel helpless, Cohen said.

“We want our faculty, students and staff to be aware, if they have an inkling or have a concern, don’t ignore it,” Cohen said. “Get the team in and get some help, to determine if someone is just having a bad day or there’s something bigger at work.”