Students often experience significant changes in their lives during the course of their education.
Such changes, at times, become stressful enough to pose serious threats to the student's academic progress. In fact, anyone who is perceived as knowledgeable, caring, and trustworthy may by a potential resource in times of trouble. A faculty member's willingness to lend special assistance to students undoubtedly is influenced by the personal style and philosophy of the individual. Situational factors, such as class size, also have a substantial effect on the type of interactions which occur between the faculty and students. Nonetheless, there is ample evidence that faculty members are often in a position to identify students who are troubled.