ADMINISTRATIVE RULE NO: C604

RELATED TO POLICY SERIES NO: 7080

TITLE: DEATH OF A STUDENT

In the event of serious injury or death of a student either on or off campus, the Dean of Student Services should be notified immediately. The Dean of Student Services or his/her designee will notify and coordinate with the following areas:

Campus Security Office

• If the serious injury or death has occurred in college facilities, the Campus Security Office/designee will provide first-aid care, call the ambulance, provide proper documentation and investigation of the incident, provide crowd control as appropriate, and coordinate the efforts of local law enforcement.
• If the serious injury or death has not occurred on the campus, Campus Security will assists all other involved departments with the coordination of information.
• Notify the Dean of Student Services or his/her designee to begin the appropriate action as outlined in this document.
• Notify the President's Office and the Marketing and Publications Office.

President or Designee

• Determine appropriate action and response.
• Determine and facilitate appropriate media action.

Registrar's Office

• Pull the student's class schedule and forward it to Counseling and the Dean of Student Services or designee with information about the incident. Verify whether the student is an ALO or Dual Admission student. Inform the ALO Coordinator if appropriate. Inform the designated Director at Oregon State University's Registration and Admissions offices.
• Initiate a refund if death occurs at any point between the time s/he registers for classes and the last day of the term. In the case of serious injury of a student, refund procedures may also be initiated.
• Make appropriate record changes.
• Determine if the student has an immediate relative on campus. If so, forward the information to Counseling and to the Dean of Student Services or designee.

Counseling Department

• Immediately determine if the student has a child in the Family Resource Center and notify the FRC staff.
• Contact relatives on campus and give them the information appropriately.
• Notify the student's instructors and workstudy supervisor and offer assistance if appropriate.
• Provide accurate information to students and staff as appropriate on the main campus and at the Extended Learning Centers.
• Be prepared to respond to distraught students.
• Provide support for staff directly affected by the traumatic situation.
• Provide those in need with the appropriate community resources information.

Business Office

• If a refund is owing, the Business Office will immediately issue a check to be included with a letter of condolence from the Dean of Student Services.
• Back out all fees or fines, i.e., Library fines, parking fines, locker fees, etc., from the student's account and notify the departments.

Human Resources/Payroll

• Determine if the student is owed any money due to campus employment. If so, a check will immediately be issued to be included with a letter of condolence from the Dean of Student Services.

Financial Aid Office

• Send letter to the next-of-kin to explain the forgiveness policy regarding student's loans. All financial aid resources are backed out of the information system.

Dean of Student Services Office

• Refer all media inquiries to the Marketing and Publications Office.
• Coordinate with the Library and the department of deceased student's major to identify a book to be purchased by the Library as a memorial.
• Dean of Student Services will check with campus areas, i.e, Disability Services, Learning Center, Media, Library, etc.,to determine if there are materials or equipment checked out and make arrangement for return of the equipment.
• Dean of Student Services will check with various areas on campus that may have student lockers to determine if the deceased student has belongings and make arrangements for their return.
• The Dean of Student Services will write a letter of condolence to the family. The letter will include:
  • Notation that the appropriate campus offices and the student's instructors have been contacted;
  • Refund and payroll checks (if applicable);
  • Notation that the Bookstore manager may be contacted for textbook refund options;
  • Information stating that the student has been dropped from his/her classes;
  • Information that a book has been purchased for the Library in the student's name (if a matriculated student);
  • Statement that the Dean of Student Services will be the campus contact person.

DATE OF APPROVAL: 7/02/91

DATE OF REVISION: 4/17/02