by Greg Monahan

campus@statenews.com

Warning: the following content addresses topics that may be considered by some as violent, sexual or offensive in nature. The content could potentially cause distress or anguish for individuals who have experienced a similar trauma in the past.

If you haven’t seen a note similar to that atop a class syllabus this year, there’s a chance that could change in coming years.

Some universities are requiring professors to add so-called “trigger warnings” to the top of their syllabus, which the New York Times defines as “explicit alerts that the material they are about to read or see in a classroom might upset them or, as some students assert, cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

The warnings have been suggested for classes that contain readings, video or other content that addresses potentially traumatic topics of sexual assault, war or multiple forms of discrimination. Schools such as the University of Michigan and the University of California, Santa Barbara , have had student government pushing for professors to add such alerts atop their class syllabuses.

But the concept has not yet developed in East Lansing. David Stowe, interim chairman at MSU’s Department of English, said he has not heard any rumblings of trigger warnings appearing on school syllabuses.

“It has not come up within the department, the college, or within MSU as far as I’ve heard,” Stowe said.

However, when considering the graphic nature of some course content required for students, Stowe said he could see both sides of the trigger warning argument.

“I have ambivalent feelings about (trigger warnings),” Stowe said. “Because on one hand, I think the purpose of a college education is to challenge students to expose them to works of art or literature that may be challenging or troubling.”

But, Stowe added, flagging offensive content could also help warn the minority of students who could be exposed to extreme duress when issues of sexual assault, violence or discrimination are discussed.

“I can imagine a case where a student has been through some kind of traumatic experience, where it could really put them in jeopardy,” he said.

Stowe’s solution to avoid causing students potential trauma doesn’t involve trigger warnings. Instead, he recommended open communication between instructors and students, especially during the early weeks of class.

“What might be more helpful is a more individual, tailored approach,” Stowe said. “During the first class or two, there should be a discussion about sensitive, disturbing or troubling topics that will come up in the course. Then, that could give some value and be part of a class discussion.”