Response to a Death Within the Seneca Community Policy

To provide a respectful, timely and professional response to the death of a member of the Seneca Polytechnic community.

These guidelines apply to Seneca students and employees.

A person considered to be important because of high rank or office. (e.g., the Sovereign or member of the Royal Family, a current or former head of state, prime minister of Canada or premier of Ontario).

A piece of cloth or similar material, typically rectangular, affixed by one edge to a pole or rope and used as the symbol or emblem of a country, province, city, township, organization or institution or as a decoration during public festivities.

An active or former member of the Board of Governors, Program Advisory Committee member, past employee, major donor, distinguished alumni, Seneca award recipient, government official, dignitary or other prominent supporter.

When the centre of a flag is exactly half-way down the mast. The position of a flag when flying at half-mast will depend on its size, the length of the mast and its location. When hoisted to, or lowered from half-mast position, a flag should be first raised to the masthead.

The main part of a flagpole, also referred to as the staff or flagstaff. A flag is connected to and flown from a flagpole using rope, toggles and a pulley.

A Seneca student, employee, retiree or a friend of Seneca.

1. Where a student death occurs on Seneca premises, including the residences, a police investigation may be required. 
2. Students or employees who become aware of a death of a student on campus or in residence should immediately contact local emergency services by dialing 911, then notify Seneca’s Security and Emergency Services at (416) 491-5050 x88.
3. When contacting Security and Emergency Services about the death of a student, the following information should be provided if known:
   • student name 
   • student identification number 
   • program name and semester 
   • activity and location at time of death, if occurred off campus during a Seneca-related activity
   • date and cause of death 
   • how you learned of the student’s death 
   • name and address of next of kin
   • any significant extra-curricular involvement in activities at Seneca (e.g., sports team, clubs, etc.) 
   • if the student was living in residence.
4. Security and Emergency Services will immediately notify the Office of the Vice-President, Finance and Administration, the Office of the Vice-President, Students, the Office of the President and Marketing & Communications. 
5. All media inquiries about a student’s death should be directed to media.relations@senecapolytechnic.ca.  
6. The President or designate will act as the official media spokesperson on behalf of Seneca.

1. The Office of the Vice-President, Students will immediately convene a meeting of the student’s academic dean, the President’s Office, Marketing & Communications, Campus Services, and Human Resources and, where appropriate, Seneca International.
2. The Office of the Vice-President, Students will be responsible for coordinating follow-up activities that include:
   • contacting the student's family to express condolences and providing them with the contact information of a Seneca official as a liaison
   • providing critical incident support to students and employees through internal and external counselling and support providers
   • drafting and implementing communications to the Seneca community, with support from Marketing & Communications.

1. The Office of the Vice-President, Students will be responsible for coordinating all Seneca-related communications and support efforts to family members and the Seneca community and for contacting the appropriate stakeholders, including:
   • Dean of the student’s academic program
   • President’s Office for a condolence letter on behalf of the Seneca community from the President and to determine representation at the funeral or memorial service, in consultation with academic dean
   • Office of the Registrar – to withdraw student from their program, stop billings, process refunds where applicable, etc.
   • Counselling – to develop a plan for critical incident response/support to students as appropriate
   • Human Resources – to offer support to affected employees through the Employee & Family Assistance Program
   • Student Services – to determine if insurance death benefits are payable to next of kin, and, if applicable, to ensure any personal belongings in the student’s locker are returned to the family
   • Marketing & Communications – to develop and post a notice to the Seneca community and order flags to be lowered at half-mast, as long as the next of kin approves of these actions
   • Information Technology Services – to deactivate student’s email account
   • Seneca International if applicable – to liaise with the Office of the Vice-President, Students to support the student’s family and to inform International Student Health Insurance provider and the deceased student’s embassy/consulate
   • The Seneca Student Federation – to notify council members
   • Athletics & Recreation (if applicable) – if student participated in varsity, intramural sports, etc.
   • Residence (if applicable) – to work with Residence Life employees and other concerned parties as required to co-ordinate with the student’s next of kin in removing their possessions.

1. The President will send a letter of condolence on behalf of the Seneca community.
2. As a follow-up to the President’s letter, the Office of Vice-President, Students will send a letter to outline official procedures taken by Seneca to close the student’s account and direct family members to other services and support available to them.
3. When possible, a representative from Seneca will attend funeral services. This will be coordinated by the Office of the Vice-President, Students, in collaboration with the Office of the President and the student’s academic dean.

1. At the request of the academic dean and with the approval of the Office of the Vice-President, Students, the Registrar’s Office may be asked to prepare a posthumous credential for the student.

1. Students or employees who become aware of an employee death on campus should immediately dial 911, then notify Security and Emergency Services at (416) 491-5050 x88.
2. Where an employee death occurs on Seneca’s premises or at activities/events under Seneca’s responsibility, a police investigation may be required.
3. When contacting Security and Emergency Services about the death of an employee, the following information should be provided if known:
   • employee name
   • employee’s department
   • activity and location at time of death, if occurred on campus or off campus during a Seneca-related business activity
   • date and cause of death if known
   • how you learned of the employee’s death.
4. All media inquiries should be directed to media.inquiries@senecapolytechnic.ca.
5. The President or designate will act as the official media spokesperson on behalf of Seneca.

1. Security and Emergency Services will contact Human Resources, the President’s Office and Marketing & Communications.
2. Human Resources will be responsible for coordinating follow-up activities that include:
   • Contacting the employee’s supervisor
   • contacting the employee's family to express condolences and providing them with the contact information of a Seneca contact person  
   • providing critical incident support to employees through the Employee & Family Assistance Program
   • working with the Office of the Vice-President, Students to provide grief counselling for students if the employee was a professor or provided support services to students
   • drafting and implementing communications to the Seneca community, with support from Marketing & Communications
   • contacting the appropriate government agencies such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and the Ministry of Labour, where applicable.

1. Human Resources will be responsible for coordinating all Seneca-related communications and support efforts to family members and for contacting the appropriate stakeholders, including:
   • President’s Office – for a condolence letter on behalf of the Seneca community and to determine representation at funeral or memorial services in consultation with the employee’s supervisor
   • Advancement & Alumni – to deactivate employee account from their database for mailings
   • Marketing & Communications – to develop and post a notice to Seneca community and order flags to be lowered at half-mast, provided the next of kin approves of these actions
   • Information Technology Services – to deactivate employee’s email account
   • Finance – to ensure appropriate funds are distributed.

1. The President will send a letter of condolence on behalf of the Seneca community.
2. As a follow-up to the President’s letter, Human Resources will send a letter to outline official procedures taken by Seneca to close the employee’s file and direct family members to other services and supports offered by Seneca.
3. When possible, a representative from Seneca will attend funeral services. This will be coordinated by the employee’s supervisor.

1. Employees or other members of the Seneca community who become aware of the death of a retiree are requested to notify Human Resources, who will inform the President’s Office, Marketing & Communications, Advancement & Alumni and, where possible, the retiree’s most recent supervisor.
2. Human Resources will be responsible for:
   • contacting the retiree’s family to express condolences
   • working with the appropriate academic or service area and Marketing & Communications to prepare a communication to the Seneca community.

1. Employees or other members of the Seneca community who become aware of the death of a Friend of Seneca should notify the President’s Office.
2. As appropriate, the President’s Office will be responsible for:
   • contacting the family to express condolences
   • working with Marketing & Communications to prepare draft communications to the Seneca community
   • representing Seneca at the funeral or memorial service.

• Flag protocol

• None

Approval Date: August 2022