Responding to a Student or Staff Death

If you become aware of a staff or student death, whether current, on placement or alumni, this webpage and the document below outline the Emergency and non-Emergency Procedures to be followed when responding to a death.

Emergency Procedure (should you discover a body)

If you find a student or staff member who you think has died, unless it is absolutely clear that they are beyond medical help, you should call an ambulance immediately on 999, attempt first aid/resuscitation if you are able to and inform Security on 01509 222141.

If it is clear that the person has died, do not touch the body or the surroundings. Security will co-ordinate the immediate response.

In other circumstances where you become aware of a death please follow the procedure below.

Procedure to follow in non-emergency situations

If you become aware of the death of a member of staff or student, or in the event they are a student, on placement or alumni, you should take the following steps:

 

REPORTING

 

Action

Student Death

Staff Death

Report the death

Report the death to Student Services:  Call 01509 222765 or email studentservices@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk

If it is urgent, we recommend calling Student Services rather than emailing.

Please provide the following details (as far as possible):

 

  • Name of the student
  • Student registration number (if known)
  • Course of study
  • Manner of death (if known)
  • Location of death (if known)
  • The source from which you have been notified of the death
  • Whether parents/ family/next of kin are already aware
  • If you are aware let us know if parents/ family/next of kin would like us to contact them

 

Report the death to Human Resources and Organisational Development.  Call 01509 222009 or email M.S.Hammonds@lboro.ac.uk.

HROD will then liaise with the relevant people as appropriate.

 

In times of great distress, it is important for those grieving to have only one point of contact within a complex organisation such as ours.

There is a great temptation for a range of people on the periphery to become involved and to try and help. But this can often make a difficult situation worse.

It’s important that Student Services or Human Resources takes control of the situation very quickly and all communication and information pass through the nominated individual and no one else.

The relevant department will then take the following steps in response to the death: 

Action

Student Death

Staff Death

Notify VCO providing them with the details available at that stage.

 

Director of Student Services to contact PA to the COO.

Director of HROD or nominee to contact PA to the COO.

Agree with VCO who will contact family/next of kin.

Act as a point of contact for VCO and also liaise with other parties on their behalf where appropriate.

Director and COO to agree.

Director of HROD or nominee and COO to agree.

Ensure School /Professional Service is informed (usually to the Dean/Director and/or Operations Manager)

Act as a point of liaison for the School Dean/Professional Service  Director and Operations Manager.

 

Director or nominated representative.

 

If they are not already aware, make the Academic School aware of how contact with the family will proceed.

Director.

Notify other areas of the University

After contact with the family/next of kin is made, the offer is made of a Book of Remembrance and contact with the University Centre for Faith and Spirituality. 

 

Director or nominated representative to inform Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity, Warden Service (if applicable), Security, LSU, Registry (for Student Finance England) and Student Services SMT and if the deceased was an alumnus Marketing and Advancement.

Director to inform Centre for Faith and Spirituality

Contact the University PR Team (pr@lboro.ac.uk or 01509 222239) to make them aware of the death.

 

Director or nominated representative to liaise with family and agree notice to students.

Director to liaise with family re public notification.

Coordinate support for staff and students affected. Offer the school or service support for their staff and students

Director to liaise with relevant parties.

 

Support can be offered by Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity and Centre for Faith and Spirituality for staff and students and the Employee Assistance Programme for staff only.

Director to liaise with relevant parties.

 

Support can be offered to colleagues by the Employee Assistance Programme, Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity and the Centre for Faith and Spirituality.

Act as main liaison with family throughout the initial response and ongoing

Director or nominated representative.

Director of HROD or nominee to organise a death in service payment and return of any personal belongings.

Offer to prepare notices and communications to go to students, staff and student and staff noticeboards (see templates below)

Director or nominated representative.

Director.  

Other (inc. arranging any translation services should they be needed)

 

Director or nominated representative to organise an update to the student record, inform medical centre

Arrange any visits to campus, including working with colleagues in Campus Services to accommodate the family on campus if they wish to stay.

Director to update employee record, arrange death in service payment and release of pension set with letter from the VC.

Template Emails and Notices

To help you, below are some templates for emails and notices. These can all be amended according to the unique circumstance.

Hello,

We’re very sad to write to let you know of the death of one of your fellow students [ ] who was studying [ ]. 

Some of you may have already heard this news and some of you may have known [ ] well, we are very sorry for your loss. It’s important at this time that your look after yourselves and each other, but please also remember that the University can provide support. You may wish to talk to your Personal Tutor or seek support from Student Services. 

Equally you may not have known them but still feel upset by this news. That’s perfectly natural and please do still reach out for support, Student Services have dedicated some of our mental health and wellbeing staff to be specifically available for all our students affected at this difficult time.

If you would like some support or just to talk, Student Services can be contacted on 01509 222765 or email studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk

Our advisors are providing support via telephone or MS Teams at this time so you will be able to talk to someone if you want to.

We also have some on-line resources that can help: /services/student-services/support/healthandwellbeing/selfhelp/ and you can also access Tellmi.

If you would find comfort from the University Chaplaincy you can contact them on 01509 223741 or Chaplaincy@lboro.ac.uk.

In time we will set up a book of remembrance for [ ].

Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing to let you know the very sad news of the death of [ ], who was studying [ ]. I will shortly be sending out a message (below) to our students on this course and it may well be that close friends and others who knew them will contact you, as their personal tutor or as someone that they feel able to talk to.

If you struggle with this, particularly in these extraordinary times, the Employee Assistance Programme is available to provide support to you if you need it: /services/hr/support/employeeassistanceprogramme/

The University Chaplains are also available, you can contact them on 01509 223741 or Chaplaincy@lboro.ac.uk.

The VCO will be in touch with the family.

 

 

For use if appropriate and/or added to the other communications.

Hello,

It’s with great sadness that I write to let you know the very sad news of the death of [ ], who was studying [ ]. 

Some of you may have already heard this news and we are so sorry for your loss. It’s important, particularly at this time, that your look after yourselves and each other, but please also remember that the University can provide support. You may wish to talk to your Personal Tutor or seek support from Student Services. 

Please do reach out, Student Services have dedicated some of our mental health and wellbeing staff to be specifically available for all our students affected at this difficult time.

You can access the following range of support from them at any stage, individually or as a group:

  • one-to-one emotional support or counselling
  • support provided by the University Chaplaincy
  • practical support and advice if you are experiencing any mental health concerns following the incident
  • advice about any financial or housing concerns as a result of what had happened

You can contact contact them on 01509 222765, or email studentservices@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk or studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.ukand ask to speak to an advisor.

Our advisors are providing support via telephone or MS Teams at this time so you will be able to talk to someone if you want to.

We also have some on-line resources that can help: /services/student-services/support/healthandwellbeing/selfhelp/ and you can also access Tellmi.

If you are aware of any other student who has been affected by this but has not received this email, please share this information with them.

This should be checked with Hannah Baldwin and should not be posted unless the family agree:

 

We are very sad to inform you that [ ], a student within the School of [ ] Sciences, has died.

Our sincere condolences go to [ ]’s family. We also know that many of you on campus knew [ ] well and our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.

If you would like some support or just to talk, Student Services can be contacted on 01509 222765 or by emailing studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk.

Our advisors are providing support via telephone or MS Teams at this time so you will be able to talk to someone if you want to.

There is a Book of Remembrance and a place for floral tributes in the Edward Herbert Building, room J.2.09 (second floor), for anyone who wishes to share their thoughts and memories of [ ].

We also have some on-line resources that can help: /services/student-services/support/healthandwellbeing/selfhelp/ and you can also access Tellmi.

If you would find comfort from the University Chaplaincy you can contact them on 01509 223741 or Chaplaincy@lboro.ac.uk.

If you’re a member of staff the Employee Assistance Programme is available as well to provide support to you if you need.

Dear Students,

 

It’s with great sadness that I write to let you know the very sad news of the death of [ ], who was studying [ ]. I’m very sorry for your loss.

Some of you may have already heard this news and some of you may have known [ ] well. Myself and my staff at the University want to extend our deepest sympathies.

I also wanted to remind you at this difficult time that the University can provide support. You may wish to talk to your Personal Tutor, another trusted member of staff or Student Services.

You can access the following range of support from Student Services at any stage, individually or as a group:

  • one-to-one emotional support or counselling
  • support provided by the University Chaplaincy
  • practical support and advice if you are experiencing any mental health concerns following the incident
  • advice about any financial or housing concerns as a result of what had happened

You can contact contact them on 01509 222765, or email studentservices@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk or studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk and ask to speak to an advisor.

Our advisors are providing support via telephone or MS Teams at this time so you will be able to talk to someone if you want to.

We also have some on-line resources that can help: /services/student-services/topics/death-and-bereavement/ and you can also access Tellmi.

In time, with permission from the family, we will set up a book of remembrance for [ ].

As a community it’s important we all come together and remember [ ] with fondness and respect. Keep well and stay safe.

I was very sorry to hear of [ ] passing and I know that all my colleagues at the University would wish me to extend our most sincere condolences to you and your family at this very sad and difficult time. 

I am enclosing a cheque for [ ], this is an ex-gratia death-in-service payment from the University and is not connected with any pension benefits; nor does it form part of [ ]'s estate for tax purposes. I hope you will find this useful in the interim period before the settlement of [ ]'s affairs. 

Julie Ball of Human Resources, will be in touch with you soon about pension benefits and will be glad to help if you need any advice in the meantime.  Julie can be contacted on 01509 222922, email J.D.Ball@lboro.ac.uk

Last updated: 17th September 2024