Student Death Reporting and Response

Student Death

Cal Poly Pomona strives to foster a culture of care and compassion while working to provide a safe and supportive environment for our students. When a member of our community passes away, it is important for us to provide the care and support to those who have been impacted, while recognizing that individuals respond to death in different ways.

The Dean of Students office works to support the family of the student and those directly impacted by the death such as close friends, roommates, professors, advisors and classmates.

Messaging

During a tragedy such as a student death, notifications to students and the campus community are determined on a case-by-case basis with priority given to the family’s wishes.

Many factors, including the nature of the incident, the impact on the CPP community, the wishes of the family, and the resolution of any police investigation will all shape the nature, scope, and timing of a CPP response and/or announcements.

Coordinating Office

The Dean of Students office coordinates the campus Student Death Protocol and works closely with campus departments, colleges, staff, and faculty to facilitate the process. This helps by creating a single campus point-of-contact for family members, while also coordinating support for impacted students, faculty, and staff. We also protect the privacy and accuracy of information and ensure coordination with any additional university processes involved.

Considering the sensitive and challenging nature of a student death, no policy or protocol can describe in complete detail all the steps that must be taken. Our role and goal is to support the family of the student and other members of our campus community who were impacted by the death — both with immediate and long-term needs.