University Response to the Death of a Student

The death of any student is tragic and will have a significant impact on members of the Laurier community.  The university is committed to responding to the death of a student with compassion for the student’s family and to supporting fellow students, faculty, and staff who may be impacted.

When the university becomes aware of the death of a student, the Dean of Students Office is responsible for coordinating the university’s response. 

While every effort will be made to respond as quickly and as urgently as possible, logistics around the release of sensitive information and processes outside of the university’s authority may impact the timeliness of the response. This includes initial and primary contact with the family of the deceased student and coordinating the university’s response, which includes but is not limited to, internal notifications and overseeing a coordinated response to support the entire campus community. 

The university’s response to the death of a student will be guided by the following principles:   

• Respect and dignity for the student and the student’s family;  
• Respect for the family’s wishes and privacy;  
• Concern for the well-being of current students and the campus community;  
• Cooperation with police, coroner, and other external officials as required, and compliance with any relevant legislation; and 
• Transparency and openness, as appropriate, while respecting the principles listed above. 

Communications to the campus community will be guided by the following:  

• Permission from the family and respect for their privacy will guide the decision to release additional information which may include the name of the deceased, the cause of death, or other information such as funeral arrangements;  
• Information may be released to the campus community if there are any concerns for safety or a threat to the campus community or public safety; this decision will be guided by appropriate authorities.  

To share information about a student’s passing, or for any questions regarding these processes, please contact the Dean of Students Office: Brantford campus (deanofstudentsbr@wlu.ca), or Waterloo campus (deanofstudentswl@wlu.ca). 

If you or a fellow Golden Hawk are looking for additional wellness and academic support following the death of a student, we encourage you to connect with the Dean of Students Office to learn more about resources on campus and develop a plan for next steps and support moving forward.