160-6 Protocol for Notification of Student Death

Section: 160-6
Effective: 11/1/2003
Supersedes: 10/1/2003
Issuing Office: Student Policies and Judicial Affairs

PPM 160-6, Policy PDF Format

PROTOCOL FOR CAMPUS NOTIFICATION IN THE EVENT OF
A STUDENT DEATH

POLICY
When the death of any UCSD student occurs, whether on or off campus, it is incumbent upon the designated UCSD officials and administrative offices to provide swift, caring, and professional assistance to the family, survivors, and eligible beneficiaries of any death benefits administered by or through UCSD. The Office of Student Policies and Judicial Affairs (SPJA) coordinates the notification of appropriate UCSD officials and, within the parameters of this protocol, assists those officials, the student's family and the campus community, as requested. In its role as the central point of contact in all matters relating to the death of a UCSD student, SPJA is committed to handling this responsibility in a discreet, sensitive, professional and timely manner.
VERIFICATION AND NOTIFICATION
The San Diego Medical Examiner's Office or Coroner's Office is the governmental agency responsible for verifying the death and identity of the student. It is also the responsibility of the Medical Examiner's/Coroner's Office to provide the official notification to the family, next of kin, or person identified on the student's registration form for such notice. The UCSD Police Department will offer to assist the Medical Examiner/Coroner when requested. The UCSD Police Department will also notify SPJA in the event it learns of a student death. If SPJA is not available, direct contact will be made with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs to ensure that SPJA is notified of the death. SPJA will confirm the student's death through the Detective Bureau of the UCSD Police Department or the Medical Examiner's/Coroner's Office when SPJA is notified of a student's death by a source other than the UCSD Police Department.
NOTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE UCSD OFFICIALS AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
1. SPJA is responsible for coordinating all aspects related to the protocol for notification of appropriate UCSD officials and administrative offices in the event of a student death. The nature of the death is confidential and should not be included in the administrative notification. An exception is made in the case of suicide or homicide information, when the nature of the death should be disclosed to the Director of Psychological and Counseling Services.
2. The following UCSD officials or administrative offices, as appropriate, will be provided with the initial notification:
  1. The Dean of Students of the college or professional school or academic program where the student was enrolled or had been accepted for enrollment.
  2. The Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs.
  3. The Director, Psychological and Counseling Services.
  4. Director, Environment, Health & Safety, if the student was employed by the University and the nature of the death was work-related.
3. SPJA will notify the following officials/offices to enable them to appropriately amend the student's records, close pending accounts and ensure that only appropriate correspondence is sent to the family of the student:
  1. Assistant Dean of Student Affairs; Graduate Studies & Research, for graduate students; and the appropriate graduate or professional school (e.g., SIO, SOM, IR/PS, School of Pharmacy or School of Management)
  2. Business and Financial Services
  3. Campus Counsel
  4. Chancellor
  5. Chair, Academic Department of Undergraduate Student's Major
  6. College Dean of Students/Resident Dean (for undergraduate students)
  7. Director, Academic Computing Services
  8. Director, Alumni Relations
  9. Director, Campus Recreation
  10. Director, Environment, Health & Safety/Risk Management
  11. Director, Financial Aid Office
  12. Director, Housing and Dining Services
  13. Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
  14. Director, Parking Services
  15. Director, Psychological and Counseling Services
  16. Director, Student Business Services
  17. Director, Student Health Services
  18. Director, UCSD Library Access Services
  19. Director, University Communications
  20. Manager, HR/Benefits
  21. Office of the President
  22. Registrar's Office (Coordinator, Academic Records)
  23. Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO NOTIFICATION

The following UCSD officials or administrative offices will take the actions indicated below:
1. Academic Computing Services – close the student's email account consistent with the campus Electronic Communications Policy.
2. Alumni Relations – remove student's name from active correspondence list and cease any direct solicitations.
3. Business and Financial Services/Payroll – notify student's employing department to initiate appropriate payroll actions.
4. Campus Counsel – provide general notification as needed.
5. Campus Recreation – withhold billing, close out account and update records accordingly.
6. Chancellor – sign letter to parent or next of kin and return to Director, SPJA.
7. Chair, Academic Department of undergraduate student's major – update student's records in the department, withhold mailings and seal student's paper records folder or electronic files.
8. College Dean/Resident Dean, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (OGSR) and appropriate graduate or professional school – facilitate counseling and crisis intervention, help family arrange for return of student's possessions, help inform student's friends and roommates and provide avenues of support for grieving students, faculty and staff.
9. Financial Aid Office – close out financial aid files and inform financial institutions as necessary.
10. Housing and Dining Services – assist College Residence Life office in securing personal effects, withhold billing, close out account, and update records accordingly.
11. HR/Benefits – determine if student was employed by University and coordinate any Tax-Deferred 403(b) Plan or DCP Safe Harbor refunds with the UC HR/Benefits.
12. Intercollegiate Athletics – update records relating to the student and facilitate counseling and crisis intervention as needed for other members of teams for which the deceased student played.
13. Parking Office – coordinate reimbursement of paid parking fees.
14. Psychological and Counseling Services – assist in organizing campus support for grieving students, faculty and staff.
15. Registrar/Admissions (Coordinator, Academic Records – update student's records in the Integrated Student Information System (ISIS), withhold mailings and seal student's paper records folder.
16. Environment, Health & Safety/Risk Management – assess and respond to liability concerns if death was work-related or connected to a UCSD activity or event, e.g., accidental or non-natural deaths.
17. Student Business Services – withhold all billing and provide documentation on student's University status.
18. Student Health Services – place the medical record in the deceased student's file and provide relevant health information following HIPAA guidelines.
19. Student Policies and Judicial Affairs – as described below, ensure that the Dean of Students, Provost, Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs, and Chancellor are notified of the death.
20. UCSD Library Access Services – change the student's status in the UCSD Library database and follow up on any outstanding items.
21. University Communications – respond to press inquiries.
SPJA PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO STUDENT DEATHS

SPJA should implement the following procedures in the event of a notification of a student death.
1. Unless the notice of death was provided by UCSD Police Department, SPJA will confirm the student's death with the UCSD Police Department Detective Bureau or Coroner/Examiner's Office of the county in which the death occurred, including the nature of the death, and document the name, phone number and title of the person verifying the information.
2. As soon as possible following receipt of the notice of death, SPJA will notify the Dean of Students of the college or professional school or academic program where the student was enrolled or had been accepted for enrollment; the Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs; the Director of Psychological and Counseling Services, if the nature of the death was determined to be by suicide or homicide; and the Director, Environment, Health & Safety, if the cause of death was work-related.
3. SPJA will notify the Chancellor's office of the student's death and prepare a condolence letter for the Chancellor's signature to be sent to the parents, surviving family member or next of kin of the student.
4. SPJA will send a copy of the notice of the student's death to the appropriate campus officials/offices. This memo will serve as notice to the campus of the student's date of death (the nature of the death is not to be disclosed.)