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Revisions Adopted by President’s Cabinet 12/18/18
Adopted by President’s Cabinet 7/25/17

In the event of the unfortunate report of a student death, the following procedure will be followed to afford the appropriate response to the family and college community.

    1. Information concerning the death of the student should be directed to the East Georgia State College (EGSC) Registrar.
    2. The Registrar will obtain documentation (obituary, news article, etc.) concerning the death of the student.
    3. The Registrar will notify the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
    4. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs will inform the President’s Cabinet.
    5. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs will notify the Director of Counseling and Accessibility Services so that counseling may be available to the affected members of the student body.
    6. Institutional Advancement will update their Alumni rolls designating the death of the student. 
    7. The Registrar will designate the student as ‘DECEASED’ in the Banner Student Information System preventing the family from receiving subsequent communications from the College concerning the student.
    8. Immediate family is defined for the purposes of this policy to include in contact priority order: emergency contact as defined by deceased student on Banner record, spouse, domestic partner, maternal parent, paternal parent, and child of legal age in order of earliest birth.
    9. The Registrar will determine if the student is currently enrolled and working on degree. 
    10. If so, the Registrar will identify the class schedule of the student and notify the instructors of the death of the student.
    11. The Registrar will forward proper paperwork to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and the Director of Student Accounting concerning the Total Withdrawal of the student and pending refund of tuition monies.
    12. The Registrar will make a determination if the student is not currently enrolled as to the last term of attendance. If the student is deceased within two terms of their last term of attendance they may be eligible for consideration of a Posthumous Degree. Please see the Posthumous Degree Policy.
    13. If the Registrar determines the student is eligible for consideration of the Posthumous degree, he/she will inform the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs who shall them make a recommendation to the President. If permission is granted by the President to award the degree, the President will notify the student’s immediate family of the granting of the degree and the opportunity for them to attend one of the next two graduation ceremonies. Confirmation of attendance by the family is required. Upon receipt of confirmation of attendance by the family, the President will notify the Registrar and the Registrar will ensure that the student’s name is included in the next commencement program or the ceremony of the family’s choosing.
    14. The President will correspond with the family concerning the details of receipt of the posthumous degree either via mail or in person at the upcoming graduation. 
    15. Where practical, the institution will have a presence at the memorial services.
    16. Flowers and gifts cannot be provided from student activity, tuition and fee, or state appropriation funds.
    17. Annually in the Spring of the year, a ‘celebration of remembrance’ will be sponsored by Student Affairs/Student Life on behalf of East Georgia State College in honor of prior students, faculty, and/or staff who have passed away during the prior year.