Death of a Student/Former Student

Administrative Procedure 4.406

In the event of the death of a currently enrolled Elgin Community College student, the Dean of Students should be notified by the student’s family or ECC employee who learns about the student’s passing. Once notified, the Dean of Students is responsible for ensuring that the following steps are taken:

1.     The Dean of Students will notify the Vice President for Teaching, Learning, and Student Development, President’s Office, and Marketing & Communications Department of the student’s death with as many details as possible, including circumstances, family contact, and source of information.

2.     Out of respect for the student’s family, ECC will work promptly to discontinue college correspondence addressed to the deceased student. The Dean of Students will notify the following departments of the student’s death, not only because the student may have been affiliated with the department, but also to request that the student’s name be removed from outgoing college correspondence: any deans who oversee areas the student was associated with, the TRiO programs, Student Access & Disability Services, the Library, Academic Advising, Career Development Services, Student Life, Human Resources, Campus Police, the Art Center Box Office, the ECC Foundation, Success Coaches, and Wellness Services. 

3.     The Dean of Students will contact Records and Registration, Financial Aid & Scholarships, and Student Accounts, requesting research be done on the student’s account. A 100% refund of tuition and fees for the current semester may be issued if the Dean of Enrollment & Student Financial Services determines such a refund to be advantageous to the student/family and consistent with applicable regulations. The balance will be removed if the student has a balance in a current or previous term. The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office will determine if the student borrowed a student loan while enrolled at the College. If applicable, contact information for the loan servicer will be provided to the Dean of Students to provide to the family. After necessary adjustments, the student’s record in the student information system will be closed and appropriately coded to prevent future mailings and communication. 

4.     If classes are in session:

• Due to the sensitive nature of the circumstances, the Dean of Students will contact all of the deceased student’s current faculty to discuss if a wellness professional should be invited to a future class session. If the faculty so desires, the wellness professional will visit the class to inform students of the death of their fellow student and to provide information regarding resources available to students. 
• If the term is near its end, the Dean of Students will consult with faculty on whether the student has earned a passing final grade in their class or if administrative withdrawal (AW) from the class is most appropriate.  Tuition refunds, if applicable, can only be provided for classes from which the student is withdrawn.

5.     On behalf of the institution, the Dean of Students will contact the parent(s)/spouse/guardian(s) of the deceased student via phone or via mailed letter, if sufficient information is available, to express the condolences of the college.

6.     Student Life will arrange for flowers or another appropriate memorial to be sent to the funeral/memorial service or the home of the deceased student if the services have passed and if sufficient information is available.

7.     The Dean of Students or other designated college official will represent the college at the funeral or memorial service, if at all possible.

If the college is notified of the death of a former student, section two of this administrative procedure will be followed if the student’s file has not already been closed.