The death of a student is a profound loss that deeply affects our entire university community. EWU is committed to responding with care and compassion, offering support to the student’s loved ones, and ensuring that friends, staff, and faculty receive the help they need. In these challenging moments, we are here to guide you through both the emotional and practical steps, ensuring respect and timeliness in all aspects of our response.
Reports of any enrolled student death or deaths (“enrolled” students include students enrolled at EWU on campus, on study abroad, during summer sessions, on leave of absence or continuous enrollment, or in online or distance education) that occur should be immediately reported to:
Dean of Students or designee (“DOS”)
Pence Union Building 301
526 5th Street
Cheney, WA 99004
Phone: 509-359-7924 (Office)
Email: dos@ewu.edu
Dr. Sam Armstrong Ash
Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
When reporting a student death to the DOS or a designee, please provide as much of the following info as was volunteered to you:
- Student name
- Date and cause of death (if it is known)
- Names and contact information of the person reporting
- EWUID number (if it is known)
- Student’s primary residence location
- Clubs and organizations student was affiliated with (if known)
- How you were notified of the student’s death
- Any other relevant information
- Is the family aware?
EWU Protocol for Reporting the Death of a Student
The DOS or designee is responsible for notifying senior university staff and will coordinate the flow of information, including convening conference calls as appropriate. DOS will work with law enforcement to confirm the date, time, and manner of death. DOS is also responsible for coordinating support efforts for family members, other students, faculty, and staff.
When reporting a student death to the DOS or a designee, please provide as much of the following info as was volunteered to you:
- Student name
- Date and cause of death (if it is known)
- Names and contact information of the person reporting
- EWUID number (if it is known)
- Student’s primary residence location
- Clubs and organizations student was affiliated with (if it is known)
- How you were notified of the student’s death
- Any other relevant information
- Is the family aware?
When reporting a student death to DOS or designee, it is important to note information that has been confirmed vs. information that is believed to be true. DOS will work to independently validate information that is shared.
As needed, the DOS or designee will notify:
- University President
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Chief of Staff, Office of the President
- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Dean of the School/College of the deceased student
- Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
- Associate Vice President for Human Resources
- Chief, EWU Police Department
For graduate students and students in professional programs, the DOS will notify the Graduate Programs.
For Running Start students, the DOS will notify the Running Start program.
Other offices that will be notified include:
- Records and Registration
- Financial Aid
- Student Financial Services/Bursar
In instances where a death has not been confirmed, the DOS or designee will keep the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs appraised of the on-going investigation. Expanded notifications, as outlined above, will occur once a death has been confirmed.
Upon confirmation of death, and when additional information is confirmed, DOS or designee may notify additional offices as appropriate.
DOS is aware that notification of a student death has not been made to the student’s family, DOS will work with law enforcement to notify the student’s family of the death as soon as reasonably possible. After the family has been notified of the student death, DOS will serve as the point of contact for the university with the family, or their representative, (hereafter referred to as “family”) and will be responsible for on-going communication with them.
If a family of a deceased student reaches out to another office on campus, they should be directed to DOS, as all inquiries from family members will be addressed by DOS. Others at the university should not initiate contact with the family without prior authorization from DOS, in order to ensure accuracy and appropriateness of communication. DOS will express the university’s condolences, give contact information, provide guidance about next steps and what to expect, and will advise family members that DOS will be the primary source of university information and assistance.
DOS may gather the information below, if it is not already known and confirmed:
- Date and cause of death
- Names and contact information (email, cell) of parents, spouse/partner, any children, and/or the person who will serve as the family’s point of contact for the university
- Plans for funeral or other services (locations, dates, times, etc.)
In some cases, it may be appropriate for the Chief of EWUPD to be in contact with the family in addition to DOS. In these cases, the two offices will share information to ensure the communication is coordinated.
The university understands that the preferred method of parental/family notification of a death should be in person and delivered by individuals with special training on delivering such a message. Whenever possible, the university will work with local law enforcement to make such a notification but understands that such notifications may take longer than is realistic to wait.
During the initial phases of inquiry, i.e., when details are still being confirmed, it is vital that communication be timely and accurate. For this reason, face-to-face or telephone communication may be more effective than other methods of communication. If necessary, conference calls should be scheduled to provide updates. Email may be used as appropriate.
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) should be consulted regarding inquiries about the circumstances of a student’s death or requests for information about student records. Email messages sent to OGC for legal advice should include “Confidential and Privileged” in both the subject line and in the first line of the email and should not be further distributed.
DOS will be responsible for maintaining records of the information gathered and follow-up steps taken in response to reports of a student death. As part of a further effort to coordinate this response, if law enforcement contacts any office at the university, that office should contact DOS immediately.
Individual-Level Student Response
DOS will collect affected student data and will facilitate outreach by both Counseling and Wellness Services (CWS) and Student Accommodations and Support Services (SASS) staff:
- Affected students may be close friends, roommate(s), floormates, classmates, in the same extracurricular organization(s), etc.
- These students are identified through community outreach and available data.
- Students are also brought to the attention of DOS by concerned friends, families, staff, and faculty.
- This includes students who are first responders or who may have been eyewitnesses to the incident.
The Dean of Students will review the list of students not previously associated with the student in question, but about whom DOS was already concerned [based on previous interaction(s) and behavior(s) such as recent expressed suicidal ideation or attempt, having suffered a significant loss, etc.]. The Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and other departments will continue to reach out to these students to provide additional support as appropriate.
For the first tier of students (roommate(s), significant others, close friends):
- The Dean of Students, in collaboration with the Director of Housing and Residence Life, will be the point of contact immediately following notification that a death has occurred.
- Outreach from the Dean of Students or designee and SASS to these students will happen on-site and immediately.
- This outreach will include offering new room(s), notification of family members, connection to counseling services, and communication with faculty and academic advisors.
For the second tier of students (friends in the residential community):
- The Dean of Students, Director of Housing and Residence Life, or designee for that residential configuration will be the point of contact.
- As these students need counseling services, the Director will work with Counseling and Wellness to ensure that appropriate resources are offered.
For the third tier of students (others in the residential community):
- The Assistant Director for the residential configuration will serve as the point of contact.
- As these students need counseling services, the AD will work with Counseling and Wellness to ensure that appropriate resources are offered.
For any second and third tier student(s) requiring academic notifications:
- The Dean of Students or designee will communicate with faculty and academic advisors during the next business day.
For all students affected:
- Student Affairs staff and Dean of Students will be the point of contact immediately following notification that a death has occurred.
- Outreach from the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students or designee to these students will happen immediately by phone and email.
- This outreach will include notification of family members, connection to counseling services, and communication with faculty and academic advisors.
Community-Level Student Reponse
If the deceased student lived in an on campus facility (residences halls, etc.) the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students or designee will work with CWS and SASS to coordinate outreach to the residence hall in which the student lived.
Ongoing email communication will occur in the weeks to follow to emphasize the resources available to students as they need additional support.
May include, but are not limited to: athletic/club sports teams, classes, student organizations, community groups, student employment, and academic affiliation groups.
The Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students or designee, will identify “micro-communities” in which the student was involved and will coordinate DOS outreach to these groups.
After the DOS outreach to the group, follow up outreach will take place 1-2 weeks later through both email and direct community-based communication.
Death of Student in Study Abroad Program
In the event of a death (or presumed death) of a student in a university study abroad program, DOS, in consultation with the Office of Study Abroad, will contact the On-Site Program Director or local program official, who will:
- Contact the in-country U.S. consulate or embassy to notify them of what has happened.
- Determine the identity of the student, including the student’s full name, and will communicate that information to the Office of Study Abroad and to DOS.
- Work with local authorities to determine the nature and cause of death and maintain communication with local authorities in cases of on-going investigations and/or evolving situations.
- Refer all media inquiries to the Director of Communications and Media Relations.
- Work with other students impacted by the death and, in coordination with DOS, arrange for counseling and support services.
DOS will work through the Office of Study Abroad; the Office of the Vice President for Business and Finance; and/or EWU Risk Management to contact our insurance provider to make them aware of what has happened. DOS will connect the family of the deceased to the insurance provider to discuss what may be covered.
If the death of a student abroad is the result of a public health emergency, the On-Site Program Director will follow the direction of local and international public health officials and the U.S. Department of State, in consultation with the University.
The On-Site Program Director should be mindful of the emotional well-being of other students in the program and may arrange for on-site counseling and support for these students as appropriate.
Counseling and Wellness Services may provide individual and/or group counseling services to students impacted by the death, as necessary. These students may include roommates, classmates, teammates, fraternity/sorority members and other student group affiliation members. CWS will also be available to the university community for consultation.
The SASS staff will act as an on-going resource for those affected by the loss. DOS will coordinate the SASS response, which may include outreach to faculty, staff, classes, student organizations, athletics, and others impacted by the death.
The Employee Assistance Program is a free confidential counseling and referral service that is available to assist employees in working through a wide range of personal and work-related concerns.
DOS in collaboration with the Dean of the school/college in which the student is enrolled at the time of death will serve as the primary person communicating information to the members of their school. The Dean should also serve as a mechanism of support to the faculty and staff impacted by the student death and work with their Human Resource Director to facilitate such support. It is also important for the Dean to communicate the expectations as outlined in this protocol to those on his/her/their team who may have a role in coordinating a response.
Once contact is made with the family, the Dean may, in conjunction with DOS, reach out to the family to offer condolences. It is vital that these communications are documented and shared with DOS to ensure appropriate records can be maintained. Additionally, after official condolences are sent from the President, the Dean can send a condolence letter to the family. Copies of any such communication should be forwarded to DOS for inclusion in the file.
Events that support student and community grieving can be important for those impacted by the death. Formal memorial services will not be organized by the university. Schools/colleges, departments, students, and student organizations are encouraged to work with DOS to plan and organize events as appropriate for those grieving and impacted by the student death. As these types of events are, by their very nature, private, media should not be included or invited to cover the activities. Staff from CWS and/or SASS should be present.
University Communications
Communications and Media Relations will coordinate official/public university communications regarding the incident and will serve as the primary point of contact for all media inquiries. Other members of the university community are not authorized to speak with the media (including student news media) on behalf of the university without first consulting with and obtaining approval from Communications and Media Relations.
If the student death has public health implications, Counseling and Wellness Services will be notified and will coordinate notifications and response with the local Department of Health, and other EWU entities as appropriate.
SASS is responsible for communicating notice of a student death to the university community. The specific protocols governing this communication will vary from situation to situation, but the following general guidelines will provide a basis from which decisions will be made:
Marketing and Communications will work with DOS and Emergency Management to keep the community informed, via EWU Alerts (text & email) and/or the web and social media as appropriate, about an “on-going emergency situation” and where that emergency is occurring.
- These communications should contain brief, factual information and should not include manner or cause of death or any identifying information about the deceased.
- These should occur as soon as possible to prevent inaccurate information from being reported.
- A follow-up communication via email will be communicated to the EWU community upon confirmation that the family of the deceased has been notified.
- DOS will tell the family that such a communication will be sent to the community.
- Communications and Marketing will work with the appropriate parties to notify the students in that location or in that specific online program of the death upon confirmation that the family of the deceased has been notified.
- DOS or designee will tell the family that such a communication will be sent to the community.
It is important to note that the wishes of the family will not otherwise preclude the university from making notifications or providing support to the EWU community.
Although the death of a student is always a tragic event, there are some deaths that occur under circumstances that may require a deviation from the general guidelines outlined above. In cases where there is an on-going police investigation and the release of information may otherwise compromise that investigation or the death is unconfirmed for some period of time, the university will consider the needs of the police investigation when communicating information to the community. However, such requests from the police will not otherwise preclude the university from making notifications or providing support to family and friends.
Additional considerations may be necessary in the case of a suicide. Special care should be given to not disclose the manner and/or cause of death or to use pictures of the deceased, their family/friends, or the location of the death. The university will make every effort to adhere to the CDC Guidelines for Reporting on Suicide and the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA) Guide.
In some circumstances it may be very difficult to notify the family of the deceased. In these cases, the university will make every effort not to use the deceased student’s name until receiving confirmation that the family has been notified.
Any monies owed to the university by the deceased student will be forgiven. DOS will work with appropriate university offices to close all accounts and mark the student’s record.
A posthumous degree may be awarded to a student subject to the following provisions:
- The request for posthumously awarding a degree must be made by a family member of the deceased student, department chair, program director or the dean of the college of the student’s field of study.
- The student must be in good academic standing and be within 20 credits of meeting all requirements for the undergraduate degree or 10 credits of meeting all requirements for a graduate degree. Exceptions to these thresholds must be supported by the department and college dean to be qualify for further consideration.
- Requests must be approved by the academic department chair (and/or program director), the college dean, provost, and president.
Procedure
- Requests for a posthumous degree will be directed to the chair/director of the academic department/program in which the student was enrolled.
- The chair/director shall work with the requestor to complete the posthumous degree request form.
- The chair/director shall review the request and a recent degree audit, make their recommendation, and forward the request to the dean of the college.
- The dean of the college will review the request and the recommendation of the chair/director. The dean will make a recommendation and will forward the request to the provost. The dean will include the chair/director’s recommendation in the file forwarded to the provost.
- The provost will review the recommendations of the chair/director and dean and will make a recommendation to the president. The president has final authority over the awarding of a posthumous degree.
- If approved, the college dean or designee will notify the family/requestor and make arrangements for the diploma to be delivered. The formal request will be forwarded to the registrar for degree posting and ordering of the diploma.
- If the request is made by a family member and that request is denied, the dean of the student’s college will notify the family and include a letter of explanation.
DOS will work with families who wish to attend commencement activities and will coordinate any such attendance with the school in which the student was enrolled. Participation of the family in the commencement will be at the discretion of the President.
The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally prohibits release of personally identifiable information from a student’s education records without the student’s consent. Further, depending on the circumstances, other federal and/or state laws may restrict disclosure of certain information. Accordingly, if records of a deceased student are requested, please consult with the Office of the Associate Vice President – Civil Rights, Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management prior to the release of any such information in order to ensure that disclosure does not violate privacy or disclosure laws, or breach an applicable privilege (e.g., doctor-patient and attorney-client).
For deceased students, members of the family or other persons with the written approval of the family or representatives of the estate may request education records. The request for education records must be accompanied by a copy of the death certificate or obituary. Absent written approval from the family or representative of the estate, only directory information will be disclosed to persons upon request.
