Lana Oconnell
The death of a student is a tragic event that universities must sometimes navigate. While there is no blanket rule for how universities handle student deaths, they often have protocols in place to support bereaved families and manage the risks that can arise from these cases. This includes financial support and logistical resolutions, as well as considerations for posthumous degree awards if the student was close to graduating. In some cases, universities may also notify the community and offer grief counselling resources, but they must also be mindful of the potential for suicide contagion and avoid romanticising or idealising the deceased student. Ultimately, each university will have its own procedures for recognising and responding to student deaths, balancing the need for sensitivity with practical considerations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Procedure for handling student deaths | Typically, the procedure involves reaching out to the family, offering condolences, and asking if they would like the university to make a formal recognition. |
| Support for bereaved families | Financial support, such as paying for travel and accommodation, refunding prepaid fees, and transporting the student's belongings back home. |
| Notification to the university community | An email is sent to notify the community, share information about services, and provide links to grief counseling resources. |
| Prevention of suicide contagion | Minimize university-sanctioned tributes, memorials, and vigils to prevent romanticizing or idealizing the deceased student, which could make suicide appear more appealing to at-risk students. |
| Posthumous degree award | A degree may be awarded posthumously if the student had completed at least 90% of the academic requirements for earning the degree, typically in the last two semesters or year of study. |
| Respect for privacy and sensitivity | Universities do not broadly announce students' names or link the cause of death to individuals out of respect for their families and those closest to the deceased. |
| Handling media inquiries | University Communications is responsible for collecting and disseminating information to the media, and all media requests should be directed to that office. |
| Student Death Response Team | The Dean of Students may convene this team to advise university leadership and assist in coordinating the university's response. |
| Pass by catastrophe | An academic urban legend with various scenarios, such as all students passing if someone dies during an exam or a university is destroyed. There is no evidence of this being implemented in universities. |
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What You'll Learn
Posthumous degrees
The death of a student is a tragic event that universities must sometimes navigate. While universities do not give all A's to students who pass away, some universities do have posthumous degree policies in place to honour the student's accomplishments and progress toward their degree.
A posthumous degree is a formal recognition of a student's academic achievements before their passing. It is a meaningful way to acknowledge the student's legacy while upholding academic integrity. The awarding of a posthumous degree is typically considered when the student was in good academic standing and had completed a substantial portion of their degree requirements.
Requirements for Posthumous Degrees
The requirements for posthumous degrees vary between universities and degree levels. For undergraduate degrees, the SACSCOC standard mandates that at least 25% of the credit hours required for the degree must be earned through instruction offered by the institution awarding the degree. At UNC Charlotte, for instance, an undergraduate student must have earned at least 90 credit hours toward their degree or 75% of the credit hours toward a certificate to be eligible for a posthumous degree.
For graduate degrees, the SACSCOC standard requires that at least one-third of the credit hours must be earned through the institution. At UNC Charlotte, a graduate student must have completed approximately two-thirds of the requirements toward their graduate degree or certificate to be considered for a posthumous degree.
Degree in Memoriam
In addition to posthumous degrees, some universities offer a "Degree in Memoriam" to honour a deceased student's progress toward their degree. This recognition is not included in the official count of degrees and is typically awarded when a student does not meet the requirements for a posthumous degree but was in good standing at the time of their death.
Support for Bereaved Families
Universities also play a crucial role in supporting the families, partners, friends, and classmates of the deceased student. This includes offering condolences, logistical support, and grief counselling resources. Financial support may also be provided to cover expenses such as travel, accommodation, fee refunds, and transporting the student's belongings back home.
Preventing Suicide Contagion
It is important to note that universities must carefully navigate their responses to student deaths to prevent suicide contagion. While the community may wish to gather to mourn, minimizing university-sanctioned tributes, memorials, and vigils is recommended to reduce the risk of romanticizing or idealizing suicide.
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Student death protocols
Notification and Communication:
- Notification of Student Death: Upon learning of a student's death, university staff must notify the appropriate university personnel, including the Student Affairs leaders, such as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students. They serve as key contacts and coordinators of the university's response.
- Communication with Family: The university, through designated representatives, reaches out to the student's family to offer condolences and logistical support. They respect the family's wishes regarding the university's involvement and the disclosure of information.
- Communication with the University Community: The university may send an email notification to the student body, sharing information about services and providing links to grief counselling resources. The Dean of Students also contacts students and community members with close relationships with the deceased, including leaders of athletic teams, faith communities, and student organizations.
Support and Assistance:
- Support for Bereaved Family: The university may offer financial support to the bereaved family, such as covering travel and accommodation expenses, refunding prepaid fees, and transporting the student's belongings back home.
- Support for Academic Colleagues and Students: The university discusses the support needed by academic colleagues and students affected by the loss. This includes considering the return of marked coursework to the family and the possibility of a posthumous degree award.
Posthumous Degree Considerations:
Posthumous Degree Award: Universities may award a posthumous degree if the student had completed at least 90% of the academic requirements for earning the degree. This typically applies to the final semesters or years of study. In cases where the requirements are not met, a certificate denoting a Degree of Achievement may be issued to honour the student's memory and contributions to the academic community.
Media and Public Relations:
- Media Inquiries and Communications: Universities have a designated office or department, such as University Communications, to handle media requests and inquiries. They work with various partners to obtain accurate and confirmed information, ensuring that only authorized information is disseminated to the public. University employees do not address the causes of student deaths, especially in response to media inquiries.
- Prevention of Suicide Contagion: Universities are mindful of the potential impact of university-sanctioned tributes, memorials, or vigils on suicide contagion. While recognizing the community's desire to mourn, they follow recommendations to minimize such gatherings to prevent the romanticization or idealization of suicide, which could appeal to at-risk students struggling with depression.
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Support for bereaved families
Experiencing the death of a loved one can be overwhelming for students, and bereaved students are among the most vulnerable people at university. They are at risk of ongoing mental health problems, with 33% of bereaved people experiencing depression one month after the loss, and 15% still depressed a year later.
The death of a student is also a difficult situation for universities to handle. Universities should first reach out to the family, offering condolences, logistical resolutions, and asking if they would like the university to make a formal recognition. The next step is to discuss support for academic colleagues, how the student's marked coursework will be returned to the family, and whether there is any basis for a posthumous degree award. The university should also be aware of PR implications and work with their press office to manage media attention.
Some universities have free counselling services for students to talk about their grief and get support. However, bereavement-specific counselling is often lacking, and students may be referred to external services. Universities can also provide financial support, such as paying for travel and accommodation, refunding fees, and transporting the student's belongings back home.
It is important for students who have been bereaved to know that support is available and to contact their university early to discuss their circumstances and support needs. Students can also seek support from external organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care, Grief Encounter, and Winston's Wish.
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Preventing suicide contagion
It is not unusual for several students to pass away each year at a university. Student deaths are not always suicides, and medical causes and accidents account for a significant proportion of these cases. However, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and suicide contagion is a serious concern in educational settings. Suicide contagion refers to the increased risk of suicide among individuals exposed to suicide or suicidal behaviours within their community or through media reports. To prevent suicide contagion, universities should avoid university-sanctioned tributes, memorials, or vigils that may romanticize or idealize the deceased student, as this can inadvertently make suicide appear more appealing to vulnerable students.
When addressing student deaths by suicide, institutions should act immediately and conscientiously. Delaying public statements can negatively impact the mental health of the university community, especially those with a personal connection to the deceased or a history of suicide or loss in their families. Universities should release immediate statements providing information about support services, resources, and hotlines available to students struggling with grief or suicidal thoughts. It is crucial to omit specific details about the suicide method, as research shows that this increases the likelihood of suicide contagion by triggering students with existing mental health struggles or suicidal ideation.
Additionally, universities should have well-defined protocols for responding to student deaths. This includes designating specific staff members to liaise with the deceased student's family, offering condolences, logistical support, and respecting the family's wishes regarding the university's response. The academic department should discuss returning the student's marked coursework to the family and consider any basis for a posthumous degree award. Universities should also proactively offer support to students, faculty, and staff affected by the loss, including grief counselling resources.
To foster a culture of prevention, universities can implement peer-led suicide prevention programs like Sources of Strength, which has been effective in over 250 schools and community centres. This program promotes positive behaviours and resilience by emphasizing eight pillars of strength: family support, positive friends, spirituality, healthy activities, medical access, mentors, mental health, and generosity. By listening to and trusting students, universities can create a supportive environment that empowers students to seek help and build protective factors against suicide risk.
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Media and PR management
When a student passes away, universities must handle the situation with sensitivity and provide support to those affected, including the student's family, friends, coursemates, and the wider university community. While universities typically have protocols in place to manage student deaths, the media and PR aspects of these situations require careful consideration to ensure accurate and respectful communication with the public.
In terms of media and PR management, it is crucial to designate a central point of contact for media inquiries. Universities should direct all media requests to their communications or press office to ensure a coordinated and consistent response. This designated team or individual should work closely with relevant university departments, such as Student Affairs and University Counsel, to obtain accurate and confirmed information before disseminating it to the media. Respect for the privacy of the student's family and friends is paramount, and universities should refrain from broadly announcing students' names or linking specific causes of death to individuals.
Social media, in particular, can be a challenging aspect of managing the public relations surrounding student deaths. Universities should have clear protocols in place regarding social media posts and interactions to maintain a respectful online presence and avoid any insensitive or inappropriate content. Additionally, universities should be mindful of the potential for suicide contagion, especially in educational settings. While it is natural for the community to want to gather and mourn, universities should follow the recommendations of mental health experts to minimize university-sanctioned tributes, memorials, or vigils to prevent the potential glorification of suicide.
When interacting with the media, universities should also be cautious about sharing personal information about the deceased student. While journalists may seek out classmates or friends for statements, universities should ensure that any information shared by these individuals is done so voluntarily and with the consent of the student's family, if appropriate. Universities should also be mindful of the potential financial implications for the student's family and offer support in this regard, such as refunding prepaid fees or covering transportation costs.
In some cases, universities may consider awarding posthumous degrees or certificates of achievement to honor the student's academic contributions. This decision is typically made in collaboration with the academic department and the student's family, taking into account the student's progress toward degree completion. While universities aim to support and commemorate the student's life, it is essential to respect the family's wishes regarding their level of involvement in the university's response and public announcements.
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Frequently asked questions
No, universities do not give all A's to students who die. However, they may posthumously award a degree if at least 90% of the academic requirements for earning the degree have been completed.
In such cases, the university may issue a certificate denoting a Degree of Achievement to honour the memory of the deceased student and their contributions to the university's academic community.
The university may provide financial support by paying for travel and accommodation, refunding prepaid fees, and transporting the student's belongings back home. The university may also offer grief counselling resources and logistical resolutions.
University employees will not address the cause of student deaths, including in response to media inquiries. University Communications is responsible for collecting and disseminating information to the media, and all media requests should be directed to that office.
The university typically sends an email to notify the community, shares information about services if the family wants to share it, and provides links to grief counselling resources.
