POLICY

Western Oregon University intends to provide a safe and positive environment 
for all students, faculty, and staff.  However, when tragedy does occur, it 
is the responsibility of the university to respond in a sensitive and 
sympathetic manner.  The death of a student, faculty member, or staff person 
affects the entire university community.  These guidelines have been 
established to provide an orderly, effective, and caring response.

This policy pertains to faculty, staff, currently enrolled students, and 
residential students.  However, the university may need to respond to the 
death of people who are associated with it, but not students or employees.   
The Office of Alumni Relations should be notified in the case of a death of 
an alumnus.  In the case of a prospective student, the Office of Admissions 
should be contacted.  That office will de-activate the prospective student's 
record on the student information system and notify the Offices of 
University Residences, Financial Aid, and Business to discontinue mailings 
to the student's residence.  If a person associated with the Oregon Military 
Academy, or English Language Studies Center dies, Campus Safety will contact 
the appropriate person in these agencies.

    PURPOSE

    PROCEDURES

I. Death Off Campus

           A.	Response to any death occurring off campus will be handled 
initially by the local police agency and/or the hospital involved.  It is 
the responsibility of these agencies to notify the next of kin.

           B.	If the death occurs locally or in neighboring counties, 
Campus Safety may be notified by these agencies.  In the event another 
university official is informed of the death, he or she should contact 
Campus Safety.

           C. If a death occurs during a field trip, the university staff 
member accompanying the trip should follow prudent emergency procedures and 
as soon as possible contact Campus Safety at 503-838-8007.

           D. Notification of appropriate university officials

	1. Campus Safety will notify the following university officials or 
their designee:

		a. President
		b. Vice President for Finance and Administration
		c. Vice President for Student Affairs (in the case of a 
student death)
		d. Provost
		e. Director of Campus Safety 
		f. Director of Public Relations

           E.	 In the case of the death of a student the Vice President 
for Student Affairs will be responsible for coordinating follow-up 
activities.  These activities include:

                     1. Contacting the family to express condolences.  
Information concerning the appropriate person to contact (parent, spouse, or 
guardian) can be obtained from the Registrar.  Appropriate family members 
(parents, in most instances) will be provided with the name and telephone 
number of a university official with whom they can discuss the situation.

                     2. Contacting the Business office and Registrar to 
withdraw the student from classes and to stop any billing process to the 
family.

                     3. Consulting with University Residences (if the 
student lived on campus) to outline a plan of action to (a) work with the 
family in removing the student's possessions from his/her own 
room/apartment, (b) contact roommates, Resident Assistants, and other 
concerned parties, and (c) evaluate the need for supportive services for 
those affected by the death.

                     4. Informing the Student Health and Counseling Center 
to prepare them for any problems the death may cause for other students.

                     5. Informing the student's faculty.

         F. In the case of the death of a faculty or staff person the 
Provost or Office of Human Resources, respectively, will be responsible for 
coordinating the follow-up activities.  These include the following:

                     1. Contacting the family to express condolences.  
Information concerning the appropriate person to contact (spouse, parent) 
can be obtained from the appropriate University office.  Appropriate family 
members will be provided with the name and telephone number of a University 
official with whom they can discuss the situation.

                     2. Contacting the family for dispersal of benefits and 
responding to any questions and/or providing assistance with death benefits.

II. Student Death in the Residence Halls

          A.	The residence hall staff member directly involved will call 
Campus Safety and, if the staff member is a Resident Assistant, immediately 
contact the senior staff person on duty.  The senior staff person on duty 
will immediately call the Director of University Residences and the Vice 
President for Student Affairs.

                       1.	The staff must ensure that the scene is not 
disturbed until the circumstances of the death have been determined.	

                      2.	If the death is discovered by Campus Safety 
or if a safety officer is the first person contacted, the officer will 
notify the Senior Staff person on duty who will then follow above procedures.

        B.	Campus Safety will contact the local police department and 
appropriate emergency medical service to pronounce the death and transport 
the body.  They will also secure the scene and assist the local police 
department as requested in investigating the circumstances of the death.

        C.	The local police will handle the notification of the next of 
kin and will inform Campus Safety when such notification has taken place.  
Campus Safety will contact the Vice President for Student Affairs who will 
contact the family to offer condolences and assist with any arrangements 
that are needed relative to the University.

        D.	Notification of appropriate university officials will follow 
the steps outlined in section I.D. with these additional steps.

	1. The University Residences Staff  will consult with the Vice 
President for Student Affairs to determine whether the Vice President should 
come to the campus site.

	2. If the situation requires it, the Director of the Health & 
Counseling Center will be contacted by University Residences.  The 
Counseling Center staff will come to campus to assist distressed students 
who need immediate attention.  If the Director is not contacted, the 
Director of University Residences will contact the Director of the Health & 
Counseling Center immediately the next working day.  The Health Center will 
be available to work with students exhibiting somatic complaints to the 
death. 

	3. If the roommate is not present at the time of discovery, the 
Senior Staff 	member on duty and the Resident Assistant of that living 
area should try to locate the roommate and inform him/her of the death.  If 
the roommate cannot be immediately contacted, a senior staff member should 
be present as soon as the roommate returns and, if necessary, make 
arrangements for the person to move to another room.

        E.	Follow-Up

	University Residences and the Counseling Center will work together 
to identify persons who need assistance in dealing with the death.

	Emphasis will be placed on continually updating the Office of Public 
Relations.

	When the property of the deceased is removed from his/her room, the 
Area Coordinator should be present to assist the family and to help identify 
the student's property.  This action should be coordinated with Campus 
Public Safety prior to the removal of property.
 
III. Release of Information

          A.	The director of Public Relations will either serve as the 
official spokesperson for the university, or determine which university 
official will speak to the media depending on the circumstances. 

           B.	The Public Relations officer will investigate factual 
information to prepare a release and/or statement for media notification.  
Items typically used in obituary information include:

	1. Birthdate,
	2. Death date,
	3. Place of birth,
	4. Place of death,
	5. Cause of death,
	6. Immediate surviors,
	7. Service and/or memorial information,
	8. Contribution information, and
	9. Background and/or directory information.

	Public Disclosure Laws will be the guideline for determining 
information to be distributed.

	It is important that Campus Safety, as well as other offices, work 
closely with the Office of Public Relations to maintain the accuracy of the 
information disseminated.
	
           C. Information may be obtained from records in the Offices of the 
Registrar, Public Relations, Campus Safety, and Vice President for Student 
Affairs; as well as police and mortuary reports.

           D. The Public Relations officer will distribute information to 
appropriate media sources which may include daily and weekly news media in 
the university's circulation area, student media, campus newsletter, wire 
services, student's hometown newspaper, and Alumni newspaper.  The breadth 
of distribution depends on the individual incident.

	The Public Relations officer will prepare a general letter to the 
campus community via the President's office in cooperation with the Vice 
President for Student Affairs' office in the case of a student; the Provost 
or Vice President for Administration and Finances office in the case of a 
faculty member, staff person, or emeritus faculty member; and/or the Office 
of Alumni Relations in the case of a prominent alumnus.	

           E. News deadlines are daily and news of a death of a student 
and/or employee is usually considered breaking news.  In this instance, the 
Public Relations officer is on call 24-hours a day.

IV. General Campus Follow-Up

	After a death, campus support services should be available to those 
individuals affected by the death.

	A. In the case of the death of a student, family members may want to 
talk with faculty, staff, or students concerning the death.  At the 
discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs, someone from Student 
Affairs, who is familiar with the situation, may be assigned as a contact 
person to assist them with their concerns.  If the student lived in the 
residence halls, a member of the University Residences staff may facilitate 
this process.  It is important that the staff member assigned to assist the 
family be supportive of the family's needs while also protecting the needs 
of the students and staff.

	B. In the case of the death of a faculty member or staff person, 
family members may want to talk with members of the campus community or 
departments.  At the discretion of the President, a campus representative 
may be assigned as a contact person to assist them.

	C. Friends, colleagues, faculty, and students may need assistance in 
dealing with their reactions to the death.  The Counseling Center will offer 
short-term services to any individual or group that can be identified as 
being affected by the death.

	D. The Office of the Registrar will de-activate the records of 
deceased students.  The Office of Admissions will de-activate the records of 
a prospective student.

	E. The Office of Human Resources will deal appropriately with 
faculty or staff records and benefits procedures.

    AUTHORITY

    APPROVAL

Vice President for Student Affairs