Responding in Class to a Student’s Death

The death of a student is deeply distressing for the members of a campus community. Faculty may want to offer support to their students but may be unsure of how to respond. Here, we offer some suggestions.

Acknowledge the death authentically:

  • It is normal to be at a loss for what to say or do. There is no “right” way to respond.
  • Choose to acknowledge the death in the way you feel comfortable, whether in an email to students or a brief statement at the start of a class session. We invite you to read sample statements. For instance, you might:
    • Share your own feelings of loss.
    • Acknowledge that experiences of grief vary and normalize the range of responses students may be feeling.
    • Recognize that distressing events can affect learning and urge students to reach out to you.
    • Remind students of your office hours and encourage them to attend.
  • You might allow class time for students to process the event by holding a moment of silence, engaging in a group mindfulness exercise, or offering space for comments and reflections. Be clear that participation in these activities is optional.

Share resources:

  • Let students know what resources are available to them.
    • Counseling and Psychological Services - CPS offers services to support the psychological well-being of the Princeton University community and are available at no cost to currently enrolled Princeton students. They provide urgent care services for students experiencing distress or psychological difficulties and for others in the community who may have concerns about a student. Students can access counselors 24/7 by calling the CPS Cares Line at 609-258-3141.
    • Office of Religious Life – ORL supports students of any religious identity or of none. They offer pastoral counseling, fellowship opportunities, meditation, yoga, as well as a community space and places for prayer, meetings, and quiet study.

Be transparent:

  • Be honest about the challenges you face as a faculty member responding to a student death.
  • Explain your response. For example, you might tell students that you plan to continue to hold class because adhering to a routine can help in the face of tragedy and being together in class can be a way of supporting one another.
  • Remind them of your role. You are not a trained therapist, but you can support them and point them to the appropriate resources.
  • Call attention to the classroom-as-community. Encourage students to support each other. Consider implementing community-building exercises like check-ins or partner/group work.

Offer students reasonable adjustments to your course policies:

  • Grief can impact a student’s ability to perform academically. Students may have difficulty concentrating or completing assignments.
  • Grief is unpredictable and non-linear. A student may feel okay for several weeks, only to face a resurgence of emotion later.
  • You may choose to offer adjustments like flexibility on your attendance or participation policies, extensions on assignments, the option to revise and resubmit work, or additional review sessions in advance of exams. Such adjustments aren’t required, but you can opt to include them if you wish.

Check in regularly with your students:

  • Reach out to students who are struggling academically to ask them how they are doing and what might be getting in the way of their work. See UMatter’s guide to Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress for suggestions.
  • Regularly encourage attendance at your office hours.
  • In periods of high stress (e.g., before midterms or major paper deadlines), remind students of the available campus resources.   

Support your AIs/TAs:

  • Remember that AIs/TAs may also be affected by the death and in need of support.
  • Communicate with your teaching team to discuss and coordinate your response.

Take care of yourself:

  • The death of a student affects faculty as well, a fact that often goes unacknowledged. Give yourself the time and space you need to grieve.
  • It is okay to set boundaries for yourself in your interactions with students. In fact, doing so can model self-care.
  • Visit the Employee Wellness Center to learn more about the mental health resources available to faculty.

 

References and Additional Resources:

Cintrón, Rosa, et al. College Student Death: Guidance for a Caring Campus. University Press of America, 2007.

Rosenblatt, Paul C. “College Faculty Member Grief Over Deaths of Current and Former Students.” OMEGA Journal of Death and Dying, vol. 83, no. 2, 2019.

Sanger, Catherine Shea. “What to Say After a Student Dies.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 24 Oct. 2017.

Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning, Responding to Student Deaths, 9 Sept. 2022.

 

 

Thank you to Calvin Chin of CPS for his guidance and input.