Responding To Student Death On Campus – On-Demand Training

Protocols, Communication & Care

Across higher education, few experiences shake a campus community more deeply than the death of a student. Whether the loss occurs on or off campus, whether it is sudden, expected, accidental, or traumatic, the ripple effects are immediate and long lasting. Yet many institutions still lack a coordinated, up to date postvention plan. leaving leaders, staff, and faculty to navigate grief, communication, and crisis response in real time, often without the structure or support they need.

When systems are unclear or outdated, the burden falls heavily on the people closest to students. Front line staff absorb the emotional weight of supporting grieving students while managing their own trauma. Administrators face pressure from internal and external stakeholders. Campus leaders must balance compassion with logistics, all while knowing that the aftermath of a student death can stretch on for weeks or months. The result is exhaustion, burnout, and a sense of being unprepared for one of the most difficult responsibilities in higher education.

Gather your colleagues who play a role in student support, crisis response, or campus operations and join us for this critical conversation. Our seasoned presenter will offer strategies grounded in proactive planning; cross campus coordination; and compassionate, research informed postvention practices that strengthen your institution’s ability to respond with clarity, care, and confidence. If you are responsible for supporting students, coordinating response efforts, or caring for your campus community during times of loss, this webinar will equip you with the clarity, structure, and confidence you need to respond effectively.

Topics Covered

You will gain crucial, actionable takeaways that will help you to:

• Develop a proactive planning framework that helps you regularly review, update, and stress test your institution’s response systems before a crisis occurs.
• Build or strengthen your campus postvention plan and engage leadership in sustained, strategic preparation through practical resources and templates.
• Create a comprehensive support model for addressing the needs of individuals and the broader community after a student death, including faculty, staff, and first responders.
• Navigate communication challenges, including the role of social media, stakeholder expectations, and the unique dynamics of different types of student deaths.
• Engage strategies to reduce burnout and secondary trauma among the staff who carry the emotional and operational weight of responding to student loss.
  

Presenter

Dr. Smita Ruzicka currently serves as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Middlebury College where she provides leadership for a wide portfolio of services and programs aimed at enhancing the overall student experience.
Click here for full bio.