Sifting through warning signs: College counselors say practices will be re-examined.

Byline: Jodi S. Cohen and Rex W. Huppke

Apr. 19--As new details emerged Wednesday about the alarming behavior of the student behind the Virginia Tech massacre, college mental health experts said they will re-examine ways to help disturbed students and protect those around them. Classmates described gunman Cho Seung Hui, who killed 32 people before killing himself, as sullen and withdrawn. A professor, concerned by Cho's writings, had referred him to counseling. In 2005, a magistrate ordered him to a psychiatric hospital because of concerns he was suicidal. Combined, the warning signs point to something being terribly wrong. But college counselors, who every year see more students suffering from depression, anxiety and stress, say it's not that simple. University officials don't always share information with each other, because of confidentiality concerns or simply poor communication, and counseling centers may be so overwhelmed that students have to put their names on a waiting list before they're seen. Universities generally don't have psychiatrists on hand who specialize in detecting potential criminal behavior, nor do they have in-patient facilities or round-the-clock counselors. Looking…