THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE
                     POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL


                                                  No.          50      
                                                  Date:     March 1994 
                                                  Page:        of 5   
                                                  Approval:            


SUBJECT:  University Response to a Student Death

     The University of North Carolina at Asheville provides a safe
and positive environment for all students.  When tragedy does
occur, the University responds in a sensitive and sympathetic
manner.  The death of a student impacts the entire University
community.  These guidelines are established to provide an
orderly, effective, and caring response.

  I.      Student Death Off Campus

               A.   Response to any death occurring off campus will be
                    handled initially by the local police agency and/or the
                    hospital involved.  It is the responsibility of these
                    agencies to notify the next of kin.

               B.   If the death occurs in Asheville or Buncombe County,
                    UNCA Public Safety may be notified by that agency.  In
                    the event another campus official is informed of the
                    student's death, the official should contact Public
                    Safety and/or their respective Vice Chancellor.  This
                    Vice Chancellor will then be responsible for notifying
                    other vice chancellors and the Chancellor.

               C.   If a death occurs during a field trip, the University
                    staff member accompanying the trip should immediately
                    contact local emergency services and/or the local law
                    enforcement agency.  The following should also be
                    contacted:

                    1.   Appropriate Vice Chancellor or Department Head.  If
                         the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Department Head
                         cannot be reached then the university staff member
                         should contact any Vice Chancellor or the
                         Chancellor.

                    2.   UNCA Public Safety

               D.   Notification of Appropriate Campus Officials

                    1.   Public Safety will notify the following campus
                         officials:

             a.  The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who
                 will contact the Chancellor and others when
                 appropriate.

             b.  The Director of Public Safety

         2.  The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will be
             responsible for contacting other appropriate campus
             personnel and coordinating follow-up activities. 
             These activities include:

             a.  Contacting the family to express condolences. 
                 Information concerning the appropriate person
                 to contact (parent, spouse, or guardian) can be
                 obtained from the Registrar.  Appropriate
                 family members (parents, in most instances)
                 will be provided with the name and telephone
                 number of a campus official with whom they can
                 discuss the situation.

             b.  Contacting Enrollment Services to withdraw the
                 student from classes and to stop any billing
                 process to the family or student.

             c.  Consulting with Housing and Residence Life (if
                 a student lived on campus) to outline a plan of
                 action to (a) cooperate with the family in
                 removing the student's possessions from his/her
                 room/apartment, (b) contact roommates, Resident
                 Assistants and other concerned parties, and (c)
                 evaluate the need for supportive services for
                 those affected by the death.

             d.  Informing the Counseling Center and Health
                 Center to prepare them for any problems the
                 death may cause for other students or staff.

        E.   Media Involvement

         1.  The Office of Public Information will be
             responsible for collecting and disseminating
             information to the media.  All requests for
             information should be directed to this office.  It
             is important that Public Safety and Student Affairs
             work closely with this office to maintain the
             accuracy of the information disseminated.

         2.  When a student death occurs on University premises
             or at events under University control, it is
             important no person involved in the University
             response speculate as to the cause of death or make
             statements assigning responsibility for the cause
             of death to any individual or group.  Requests for
             such information by the media or others should note
             the University (and/or other agencies) will
             promptly conduct a thorough investigation to
             determine the cause and circumstances of the death.

        F.   Follow-Up

         After the death of a student, campus support services
         should be available to those individuals affected by
         the death.

         1.  Family members may want to talk with faculty,
             staff, or students concerning the death.  At the
             discretion of the Vice Chancellor for Student
             Affairs, someone from Student Affairs or other
             areas of the University who is familiar with the
             situation may be assigned as a contact person to
             assist them with their concerns.  If the student
             lived in the residence halls, a member of the
             Housing and Residence Life staff may facilitate
             this process.  It is important that the staff
             member assigned to assist the family be supportive
             of the family's needs while also protecting the
             needs of the students and staff.

         2.  Friends, classmates, and faculty may need
             assistance in dealing with their reactions to the
             death.  The Counseling Center will offer short-term
             services to any individual or group that can be
             identified as being affected by the death.

 II.    Student Death in the Residence Halls

        A.   The residence hall staff member immediately involved
             will call Public Safety (6710) or 911 and describe the
             situation.  If the staff member is a Resident
             Assistant, he/she should then contact the Resident
             Director on duty who will come to the scene of the
             emergency.  The Resident Director will contact the
             Central Staff (Director or Assistant Director).

         1.  Caution must be taken not to disturb the scene
             until the circumstances of the death have been
             determined.  Access to the scene should be
             restricted.

         2.  If the death is discovered by a Public Safety
             officer or if Public Safety is the first office
             contacted, the officer involved should notify the
             Resident Director on duty or the Housing Director
             or (Assistant Director).

        B.   Public Safety will contact the appropriate emergency
             medical service to pronounce the death and transport
             the body and will seal the room and investigate the
             circumstances of the death.

        C.   Notification of Appropriate University Officials will
             follow the steps outlines in Section I. D.1. with these
             additional steps:

         1.  Housing and Residence Life Central Staff will
             consult with the Vice Chancellor for Student
             Affairs to determine whether he/she should come to
             the campus site.

         2.  The Housing and Residence Life staff member closest
             to the situation (unless someone else has been
             designated) will consult with the police agency
             assuming jurisdic-tion on notification of next of
             kin.  This individual is responsible to assure that
             notification of next of kin happens as soon as
             practicable.  If it is decided it is not practical
             for the staff member to call the next of kin in
             person, the police agency which does make
             notification will have the name and telephone
             number of a campus official with whom they can
             discuss the situation.  In addition, the police
             agency making the notification will be requested to
             confirm notification with this campus official and
             to inform who was notified.

         3.  The Counseling Center counselor on call will be
             contacted by Housing and Residence Life, if the
             situation warrants it, and will come to campus if
             there are distressed students who need immediate
             attention.  Friends, roommates, or observers of the
             incident, may experience extreme emotional
             reactions and need to talk with someone.  If the
             counselor on call is not contacted, Housing and
             Residence Life will contact the Director of the
             Counseling Center as soon as the Counseling Center
             opens on the next working day.

         4.  The Health Center will be contacted by Housing and
             Residence Life in order to deal with students
             exhibiting symptoms or making somatic complaints
             related to the death.

         5.  If the roommate is not present at the time of the
             discovery, the Resident Director and Resident
             Assistant will try to locate the roommate and
             inform him/her of the death.  If the roommate
             cannot be immediately contacted, the Resident
             Director should be present as soon as the roommate
             returns to the building and make arrangements for
             the roommate to move to another room if necessary.

         6.  The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Office will
             contact Enrollment Services to withdraw the student
             from classes and to stop any billing process or
             routine student communication to the family.

        D.   Follow-Up

         Procedure in Section I.F. will be followed with special
         emphasis on Housing and Residence Life and the
         Counseling Center working together to identify persons
         who need assistance in dealing with the death.  Special
         emphasis will also be placed on continually updating
         the Public Information Office.

         When the property of the deceased student is removed
         from his/her room or apartment, the Resident Director
         and roommate(s) if appropriate should be present during
         this process to assist the family and to help identify
         the student's property.  This action should be
         coordinated with the Housing and Residence Life Office
         and Public Safety prior to removing any property.

III.    On-Campus Death of Student Outside the Residence Halls

        A.   If a student death occurs on campus but outside the
             residence halls, Public Safety should be immediately
             notified.  Public Safety will contact the appropriate
             emergency medical service to pronounce the death and
             transport the body.

         1.  If the student lived on campus, appropriate
             notification and follow-up procedures should be
             followed according to Sections I.D.l., I.E., I.F.,
             II.C., and II.D.    

         2.  If the student lived off campus, appropriate
             notification and follow-up procedures should be
             followed according to Sections I.D., I.E., and I.F.