Deceased Student Procedures

(Internal CNM document)

  1. Policy Statement

In the event that notice is received that a CNM student or former student has passed away the following notification procedures are in place to ensure that all appropriate CNM departments and designated officials have been contacted. This policy is established to provide consistent, effective and caring responses when a student passes.

  1. Process

Following the notification of a student’s death, there are numerous actions which must be completed by CNM departments and designated officials. This process describes the notification protocol and which departments and designated officials will be contacted and their responsibilities. For this process, the Dean of Students will be the primary contact or coordinating person.

Dean of Students Office

  • Obtain copy of death certificate or obituary for date of death verification. Notification/proof can be from a newspaper obituary, police report, and memorial card, postal return of mail, phone call, email, or Facebook notice. If possible, the Dean of Students Office will confirm the death without causing undue distress to the family
  • Upon receipt of documentation, will forward proof of death to appropriate individual/department and process as outlined

Bookstore

  • Email documentation verifying student’s death to Bookstore manager
  • Requestfor book refunds will be evaluated and determined by authorized Bookstore officials

Enrollment Services/ Registrar’s Office

  • Dean of Students provides Enrollment Services Office with copy of verification of student’s death
  • Drop the student from all currently enrolled classes :
  1. If the student’s date of death is prior to the drop without a “W”grade deadline, class(s) will be deleted for the student’s schedule and a full refund will be issued. Classes will not be appear on student’s record/transcript
  2. If the student’s date of death is after the drop with a “W’ grade deadline, classes will be dropped and a “W” grade displayed on student’s record/transcript
  • Flag student as deceased on SPAPERS and enter decease date. This will prevent the student from receiving further mailing. Also, this indicator generates a “Deceased Student” notation that is displayed on all of the student’s records in BANNER
  • Inactive student’s SGASTDN record
  • Documentation/verification of the student’s death is scanned to On Base system
  • Email the supervisor of the Cashier’s Office immediately after student’s classes are dropped or deleted
  • Email Academic Achievement Coach to inform instructors. Instructors will inform classmates of student death
  • At the request of the family or CNM faculty or staff, the deceased student may be awarded a posthumous degree. However, student must meet eligibility criteria. ES will evaluate and determine student’s academic record for eligibility. If all requirements are satisfied, ES will award a posthumous degree or certificate to the family of the student
    Student eligibility criteria is:
  1. was either currently enrolled or enrolled in the academic year previous to his/her death
  2. has completed a minimum of half of the credits required for the degree
  3. Was in good academic standing and had a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA

The degree will be noted as “posthumous” on both the diploma and CNM transcript.

  • Families may also request to have deceased student’s name included in Graduation Program and a family member participate in the graduation ceremony. Refer family member to Student Activity Office for information

Cashier

  • Dean of Students provides Cashier’s Office copy of documentation of student’s death
  • If student passes away before the last day to drop without a “W” grade (in the current term), tuition and fees will be refunded. Refund will be made according to method of payment. If financial aid was awarded, Financial Aid office will proceed with internal business process.
  • If student passes away after last day to drop with a “W” grade, Cashiers Office proceeds with their internal process to bring the account to zero balance
  • If a refund is owed, Cashier Office proceeds with standard process

Financial Aid/Scholarship/VA

  • Dean of Students provides Financial Aid Office with proof (documentation) of student’s death
  • Financial aid coordinates with Cashiers Office to ensure there is no repayment issue.
  • Suspends any future email notifications to the student
  • If VA student, notifies CNM VA FA Officer for internal process
  • Notifies National Clearinghouseif student has loans

Office of Digital Strategy and Information Technology Services

  • Dean of Students emails notification or submits ITS ticket to inactivate student’s myCNM account