51ÁÔÆæ

This policy describes 51ÁÔÆæ’s response to a student death or major medical crisis that occurs on or off campus. Because each situation involving the loss or serious distress of a 51ÁÔÆæ community member is different, the process, procedure, and timeline for response may be modified based on the individual situation.  

The critical pieces needed for effective management of a notification process are organization, communication, partnering of available resources, care and support of the individuals involved, and recognition that all members of the campus community may have some affiliation with the deceased or seriously distressed student. 

From the circumstances of the incident, to the wishes and needs of families and friends, each situation is unique and must be handled with that mindset. The process below may not be as linear or include all the steps below. The process upon first notification requires a structured approach and an effective timeline as well as flexibility to adapt to the circumstance. 

The policy is organized to reflect the sequence of response. It is separated into three sections: On-Campus Emergencies, Primary Notification and Support, and Subsequent Notification and Support.ÌýÌý

Distress: Great pain, suffering, anxiety, or sorrow. 

Emergency: A situation that poses an immediate risk to health or life. 

Major medical crisis: A situation involving substantial physical, emotional, or psychological distress or a serious illness where a student’s condition is life threatening and requires hospitalization.  

Student Support Team: A team of professionals from campus which supports a healthy campus community by identifying students in distress and coordinating an appropriate response. It provides consultation to members of the campus regarding student concerns and makes referrals to appropriate departments depending on the circumstances. Representatives include the Dean of Students Office, University Housing, Student Health and Wellness Center, Accessibility Resource Center, Student Success Center, and Student Affairs Coordinators for the College of General Studies. 

I. On Campus Emergencies

II. Primary Notification & Support

1. Any faculty or staff member who learns of the death or major medical crisis involving a 51ÁÔÆæ student should immediately contact the Dean of Students Office at 414-229-4632 or dos@uwm.edu begin the notification and support process.  
2. The Dean of Students Office is the central point for managing the notification and support process for student deaths and major medical crises to ensure that all steps are coordinated consistently and to make adjustments to the process based on experience and organizational history. 
   1. The Dean of Students Office will maintain the role of liaison with the student’s family/next of kin. 
   2. The Dean of Students Office will work in tandem with University Police to ensure that the family/next of kin of the distressed or deceased student is notified prior to any public dissemination of information.   
      1. Notification of a death will typically be handled by University Police.   
      2. Notification of a major medical crisis may be handled by University Police, the Dean of Students Office, or University Housing. 
      3. In situations involving an international student or a student studying abroad, the Center for International Education (CIE) should be contacted for its input on contacting the family/next of kin. It will reach out to the appropriate consulate. 
3. For the death or major medical crisis of a student that occurs on campus, the Dean of Students Office will: 
   1. Immediately pull together a response team to gather as much pertinent information as possible and delegate any necessary actions that do not already fall under another office’s responsibility. The team may consist of the following positions: 
      1. The Dean of Students (or designee) 
      2. Director of Student Health and Wellness Center (or designee) 
      3. Chief of Police (or designee) 
      4. Director of University Housing or Director of Neighborhood Housing (or designee and as appropriate) 
      5. Office of Legal Affairs representative 
      6. Vice Chancellor for University Relations (or designee) 
      7. Director of University Safety and Assurances (or designee) if death occurred on campus, serious injury was related to 51ÁÔÆæ’s facilities, or communicable diseases were involved 
      8. Other staff as appropriate (Director of Student Success Center, Director of Athletics, Director of Student Involvement, etc.) 
   2. Ensure that information is being provided to the Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost, Office of the Chief Student Affairs Officer, Office of the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, and University Relations, and that they are also given regular status updates.  
   3. Conduct complete web search relating to the student to identify any affiliated students or student groups. 
4. If the campus community is aware of the student death or major medical emergency prior to the family/next of kin notification, the Dean of Students Office, University Housing and/or Neighborhood Housing with the assistance of the Student Support Team and Student Health and Wellness Center, may immediately begin care for the community with the limited release of information until family/next of kin notification has been made and consistent with FERPA. 

III. Subsequent Notification & Support

1. After the family/next of kin is notified, notification and consideration of impacted campus community members will begin consistent with FERPA.  
   1. The immediate areas to be managed through the Dean of Students Office with assistance of the Student Support Team include but not limited to: 
      1. Partner/spouse, significant other, siblings, other family members, and next of kin 
      2. University Housing and Neighborhood Housing for roommates and neighbors 
      3. Clubs and organizations with which the student is affiliated 
      4. Academic Affiliations: Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair and Academic Advisor  
      5. Current semester instructors and teaching assistants 
      6. On-campus employing unit 
      7. Field placement, practicum, internship, and volunteer supervisors 
   2. In the event of a student death, the Dean of Students Office will send an email as soon as reasonably feasible to campus leaders so the campus community can collectively work to address logistical items and identify students needing support. All units that receive the notification should check their databases for students who might be connected to the deceased student, share any relevant information with the Dean of Students Office, and offer support to students who may be impacted by the death (see Appendix A). Notification will be sent to: 
      1. Campus leaders who are connected to student groups via the studentpassing@uwm.edu listserv (see Appendix B).ÌýÌý
      2. Dean, Department Chair, and advisor of the school or college to which the student belongs. 
      3. The student’s current course instructors 
      4. Academic units and other offices identified as being connected to any student who is related to or in a relationship with the deceased student. 
   3. The Dean of Students Office may prepare and circulate a notice to the campus community within a reasonable time frame. Dissemination of this notice will depend on the circumstances, family/next of kin’s wishes, etc. 
2. University Relations will manage all contact with media, including providing them with information about the student, as allowed by FERPA. 
3. In the event of a student death, the Dean of Students Office, as the liaison to the family/next of kin, will consult with the Police or Coroner to determine an appropriate timeframe for a follow up call to the family/next of kin in order to offer condolences and/or support in navigating the process to include but not limited to: 
   1. Contacting local hospitals/chaplains/religious organizations. 
   2. Arranging a visit to campus, including meetings with individual staff or faculty. 
   3. Assisting with arrangements for lodging and transportation services as needed. 
   4. Work with Neighborhood Housing to contact off-campus landlords regarding disposition of a lease. 
   5. Arranging for personal belongings to be returned from University Housing, lockers at Klotsche Center, etc. 
   6. Arranging for the disposition of unwanted items. 
   7. Assisting in the arrangements for on-campus memorial functions. 
   8. Assisting in the announcement of a memorial fund if requested. 
   9. Requesting permission to share passing remarks with larger campus community (e.g. campus email, today@51ÁÔÆæ)  
   10. Requesting copy of death certificate, as needed, to provide to Financial Aid and Accounts Receivable. 
   11. Coordinate with the Registrar’s Office to obtain student’s transcript for the family if requested. 
4. In the event of a student death, the Dean of Students Office will notify the Registrar with pertinent information as well as documentation (e.g. obituary, police report, or death certificate) to update the student’s record on PAWS. The Registrar’s Office will send notification to reg-deceased@uwm.edu listserv (see Appendix C) to coordinate closure of all campus records and accounts.  
5. In the event of a student death, the Chief Student Affairs Officer and/or Chancellor will send letters of condolence to the family/next of kin on behalf of the University community. 
6. The Dean of Students Office, with assistance of the Student Support Team and Student Health and Wellness Center, will work with affected units on campus to monitor the need for the following items: 
   1. Counseling support for impacted students, including students that may have been at the scene. 
   2. Employee Assistant Program support for impacted employees.   
   3. Continued individual or group counseling in the weeks immediately after the notification. 
   4. Continued awareness and support for ongoing grieving processes for students. 
   5. Letters of absence for siblings, close friends, and roommates as necessary. 
7. For information on Awarding Degrees (Undergraduate) Posthumously, see Awarding Posthumous Undergraduate Degrees (FD2278).

• Appendix A - Summary of Duties by Unit
• Attachment B - Student Death Notification listserv
• Attachment C - Listserv for records and accounts

December 16, 1985

Original

June 14, 1988

Revised

May 22, 2015

Revised

November 2, 2020

Revised