Death of a student/faculty/staff member:

The death of a student, staff, faculty, or visitor involves a death that can occur either during normal office hours, after office hours but when classes are in session, off-campus, and a death on-campus property.

Action

Three scenarios involving the death of a student, staff, or faculty must be considered:

• A death on-campus during office hours – The Dean or senior member of the Crisis Management Team available on site will represent the interest of the university and ensure that the appropriate emergency services are notified; police, ambulance, doctor etc.  Following this notification the staff, student body and faculty present should be informed of the emergency.  As deemed necessary and appropriate a determination to continue classes and work for the day should be made and announced. 
• A death on-campus after office hours but during class – The Dean or senior member of the Crisis Management Team available on site or the Security Guard will represent the interest of the university and ensure that the appropriate emergency services are notified; police, ambulance, doctor etc.  If the Dean is not on site, the senior member of Crisis Management Team or Security Guard will notify the Dean immediately.  The Dean or senior member of the Crisis Management Team upon arriving on site will inform the student body and faculty present of the emergency.  As deemed necessary and appropriate a determination to continue classes for the day should be made and announced.
• A death off-campus – Upon notification of a death of a student, the staff member taking the notification must inform the Dean and the administrative staff of the campus.  The Dean or a designated representative will notify the Office of the Registrar in Plainview.  Staff and faculty are handled in a similar manner except the Plainview Business Office and the Associate Vice-President of External Campuses and the Provost and Academic Vice-President must also be informed.  In the absence of the Dean the Assistant Dean will handle this notification or designate someone to notify the appropriate Plainview staff.
• A death of a visitor on-campus property - Upon a death of a visitor, the Dean or senior member of the Crisis Management Team available on site or the Security Guard will represent the interest of the university and ensure that the appropriate emergency services are notified; police, ambulance, doctor etc..  The Dean or a designated representative will notify the Office of the Associate Vice-President of External Campuses and the Provost and Academic Vice-President.

Regardless of the scenario, detailed communication records should be maintained by everyone involved.

As deemed appropriate by the Dean, the Notification Team will be directed to release details of the death to the public news media.

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