Process Map: Death of a Student – Notification and Support

The sudden death of a student is a campus worst-case scenario. UC Davis has guidelines for how the campus will respond to this type of event. Whether from suicide, an accident or other cause, providing support and care after a campus death is a major undertaking that calls for rapid and intensive coordination between many units and individuals both on and off campus. These processes are documented in the UC Davis Postvention Guidelines, and are outlined on this page.  

Process Map

Postvention Process Map
  1. Student death occurs
  2. Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) is notified and confirms death with the respective Coroner’s Officer/approving authority
  3. Official notification is emailed to the campus contacts listed in the policy
  4. Office of the VCSA sends condolence letter with campus resources to the next of kin on students record. If the student’s next of kin requests to meet prior to the letter or arrives on campus, Office of the VCSA will coordinate a meeting and provide letter/contacts in-person.
  5. Postvention Committee convenes to coordinate the university response and support for those impacted by the death.

If next of kin requests resources:

College Process:

  • Dean notifies Associate/Assistant Deans, Director of Advising/Undergraduate Programs and Chair of department
  • Advising office follows process (page 24) if student is eligible for any type of certificate: posthumous degree or certificate, etc.
  • College may request address of student to send personalized letter to next of kin

Services for International Students and Scholars:

  • Review the checklist, if SISS is the first point of contact and refer to VCSA
  • Close the SEVIS record after receiving verification of the student’s death (this must be done within 21 days of official notification)
  • Close the Sunapsis record (our internal database)
  • Offer condolences

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP):

  • The plan pays for a death under these conditions (max coverage; $25,000):
    • For student or dependent whose country of permanent legal residence is not the United States, while in the United States
    • For student who is a legal US resident, while traveling outside the US
    • One or more persons have incurred expense for the preparation and transportation of the student’s remains to country of legal residence for burial
  • The following are not covered:
    • Preparation and transportation within the US for a legal US resident
    • Travel expenses of anyone accompanying the body to country of residence or traveling for purpose of visitation
    • Funeral expenses

Registrar:

  • Marks the student’s record inactive
  • Notifies student’s instructors

Student Accounting:

  • SA will process the request to credit account:
    • If the student has an active direct deposit, the credit is deposited
    • Current process is to wait 40 days after the student death to process the refund
  • If direct deposit does not go through, they will be notified that the bank rejected the deposit
  • SA will then send a letter to the physical address
    on file asking the next of kin to notarize the reimbursement request
  • Next of kin sends back
  • SA cuts a check and sends it to physical address

Financial Aid:

  • If the student is receiving aid, FA notifies lenders

Student Housing and Dining Services:

  • Access to room if student is a current resident
  • If a student lives in a P3 property, SHDS can coordinate with property manager
  • Offer professional staff support
  • Inform current and past roommates and Greek organization members if requested
  • Meal plan refund by check or credit card if a credit card was used to purchase

Memorial Service and Announcement:

  • Service: if the next of kin would like to host a memorial service on campus, Office of the VCSA will assist in coordination of space reservation and possible fee waiver
  • Announcement: if next of kin would like UC Davis to announce the death to campus community, Office of the VCSA will inform and introduce next of kin to contact in Strategic Communications

UC Davis Continuing Education and Professional Development

  • Contact: CIE Associate Director 530-754-6434

If a student is eligible for posthumous degree or certificate:

Undergraduates who have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and are within 15 units of completing degree requirements (approved by executive council of the Academic Senate).

  • Respective college “Program/Advising” office requests degree approval from Academic Senate
  • If approved, the college “Programs/Advising” office contact (usually director) communicates with Office of the VCSA to communicate with next of kin
  • Office of the VCSA then communicates via letter to the next of kin to inform them of degree approval and the following options:
    • Option A: degree can be picked up or mailed to physical address on file *including expected degree availability window (following the quarter it is conferred)
    • Option B: next of kin may accept the degree on behalf of the student at the student’s upcoming college commencement or graduation ceremony
  • In the case the next of kin chooses Option B, Office of the VCSA will inform the Event or Commencement Coordinator of respective college and introduce said staff member with the contact for the next of kin to coordinate

Certificate — Upper Division Standing: a student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher who had completed 84.0 or more quarter units, but who would not have been eligible for award of a bachelor’s degree (see above), will be posthumously awarded a certificate recognizing the student’s upper division standing.