»Guidelines for the Communication of a Chapman Community Member Death

Introduction:

The loss of a member of any community calls for care, compassion, and appropriate recognition, as well as the application of standards to ensure consistency, equity, and respect. These guidelines are designed to provide criteria and a clear process regarding when and how university-wide death announcements should be made. While individual departments and schools may choose to communicate within their own areas, this framework applies to announcements distributed to faculty, staff, and other mass audiences.

Chapman has more than 1,650 full-time faculty and staff, nearly 10,000 students, over 55,000 Chapman alumni, and nearly 8,000 donors who have given to Chapman in the past five years. Because of the size of the Chapman Family, sending university-wide notifications each time we lose a member of our community could result in frequent messages about individuals who are not widely or personally known. For this reason, we propose limiting mass communications to occasions when the deceased is more likely to be broadly known based on their position or length of service.

Death Notification Purpose:

• Sharing this news helps foster a sense of connection across our campus community. It acknowledges that we are part of a collective experience, one that values people, relationships, and service.
• Timely communication allows faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to grieve, attend services or memorials if appropriate, and support one another during a time of loss.
• It honors the contributions and legacies of individuals who have played a meaningful role in shaping the university, whether through leadership, teaching, philanthropy, or service.
• In the absence of timely and credible communication, rumors can spread quickly, often unintentionally causing confusion, distress, or the sharing of incorrect information. A centralized and thoughtful announcement process helps ensure that accurate details are shared with the appropriate tone, providing clarity and reducing speculation.

Guiding Principles:

• Respect and Compassion: Communications should be timely, and reflect dignity, empathy, and respect for the deceased and their loved ones. Ideally, communication would be made within 48-72 hours when possible.
• Family Consideration: When possible, the wishes of the deceased’s family should be considered prior to any public communication. In cases involving potential suicide, homicide, accidents, or other sensitive circumstances, communication should not proceed without consultation with Human Resources and Legal Affairs.
• Consistency: Messaging must be consistent across all platforms and coordinated by Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC).
• Stakeholder Coordination: Human Resources, University Advancement, Legal Affairs, and the Office of the President must be consulted, as appropriate. Human Resources must be notified of all employee deaths before any mass communications. HR is responsible for coordinating the employee’s final check, retirement benefits, insurance, and other family needs related to employment. Students Affairs must be notified of all student deaths, as that office has a specific protocol for this purpose (see below).
• Before any Chapman-affiliated leaders begin to plan memorial services, please first contact Human Resources for faculty/staff or Student Affairs for students.

Communications Process:

The following categories of departed individuals would be considered for an all-campus email and other types of communications, based on the visibility, breadth, and/or longstanding nature of their roles. Please note that the President may use discretion in applying these criteria based on the circumstance. Leaders and department heads should notify HR and individually inform campus partners as appropriate for operational continuity.

• Senior Staff

  • Notification confirmed by Human Resources, the Office of the President, University Advancement, or other appropriate office
  • SMC drafts a university-wide message for review
  • Message reviewed by Human Resources and Legal Affairs if necessary
  • Final review and approval by the President
  • Communication distributed via mass email to governing boards, faculty, and staff
  • Potentially include recognition in Chapman Magazine

• Presidents Emeriti

  • Notification confirmed by the Office of the President
  • SMC drafts message for review
  • Final review and approval by the President
  • Communication distributed via mass email, highlighted in employee newsletter, and featured in Chapman Magazine
  • Be prepared for media inquiries

• Sitting School Deans

  • Notification confirmed by Human Resources, Academic Affairs, or the respective school/college
  • SMC consults with the Office of Provost to draft a university-wide message.
  • Final review and approval by Provost and/or President.
  • Communication distributed via mass email
  • Potentially include recognition in Chapman Magazine

• Donors Who Have Given $10 Million or More

  • Notification confirmed by University Advancement, including donor status, history, and giving milestones
  • University Advancement consults with family and aligns on wishes and messaging
  • UA drafts the message in consultation with SMC
  • Final review and approval by University Advancement and the President
  • Communication distributed via mass email
  • Potentially include recognition in Chapman Magazine

• Board of Trustees Current or Former Chair

  • Notification confirmed by the Office of the President
  • SMC prepares the message for review
  • Final review and approval by the Office of the President
  • Direct communication sent to all Board members
  • Communication distributed via mass email
  • Potentially include recognition in Chapman Magazine

For other categories, the following may be included in the internal newsletter and/or Chapman Magazine:

• Vice presidents who do not sit on senior staff
• Academic department chairs
• Center/institute leaders
• Employees with 20 or more years of service
• Members of the boards and trustees emeriti
• Donors who have given $1 million or more

Student Deaths:

Student deaths follow current Student Affairs protocols, in coordination with the Dean of Students and Legal Affairs. The following overview was provided by SVP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jerry Price.

• Notification and confirmation initiated by the Dean of Students, who contacts the family on behalf of the university
• The Dean coordinates with internal departments and issues a brief announcement to the campus community
• Timing of announcement may vary depending on the academic calendar
• During session, communication is typically issued within a few days of family contact; during breaks, it may be postponed until classes resume
• Student names are inscribed on the cenotaph in the Fish Interfaith Center Garden in coordination with the family, Fish staff, and Student Affairs

Conclusion:

These guidelines are intended to serve as a thoughtful roadmap, providing clarity and consistency during a time of loss. While they outline the university’s general approach to death notifications, we recognize that every situation is unique. Circumstances may call for adjustments in tone, timing, or scope, and flexibility is key. Deaths that occur on campus may require additional communication. Above all, our goal is to respond with care, respect, and compassion, honoring the individual while supporting the Chapman community.