Death of Faculty or Staff Member

This policy applies to: All faculty and staff

I. Guidelines

(To be followed with tact and sensitivity and modified when individual circumstances warrant.)

A. The University faculty or staff member who first learns of a death should inform the dean, director or department head to whom the faculty or staff member reported. It is the dean, director, department head or designee’s responsibility to promptly inform the appropriate Vice President or Provost, Benefits Office of Human Resources, and Public Relations Departments and to secure the deceased individual’s personal possessions.

B. If it is necessary to notify the next of kin, the attending physician should do so. In the event there is no attending physician, then the dean, director, department head or designee should notify the next of kin.

C. In the case of the death of an officer of the University, the University Counsel and Secretary may assume responsibility for contact with the family and share in the arrangements for ceremonies. Upon consultation with the dean concerned, the University Counsel and Secretary may assume that role with respect to a senior faculty member.

II. Procedures

A. The Benefits Office of Human Resources will:

1. Determine benefits and, as appropriate, advise the next of kin, beneficiaries and the department head.
2. Request that the deceased individual’s department initiate the Personnel Action Form (PAF 510, 610, or 710). The PAF should indicate accumulated vacation and holidays.
3. Notify other appropriate University offices.

B. The Payroll and Employee Records Center (PERC) will calculate the final wages or salary (including pay in lieu of accumulated vacation and holidays).

C. The department head or a designee is responsible for assisting the family with matters relating to the faculty or staff member’s University employment. The family should be made aware of the availability of the University’s chapels and chaplaincy services.