4A
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ADMINISTRATION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009
University officials outline policies for student deaths
Student Success works with depts. to assist families
BY ZACH WHITE
zwhite@kansan.com
The death of a student wreaks havoc on families. It is a tragedy that is difficult if not seemingly impossible to come to terms with. When it happens, though, University administrators try to assist families dealing with the tragedy.
According to Jane Tuttle, assistant vice provost of Student Success, the goal is to work with families and their varying needs. It is the goal of the University to take care of the situation on its side while remaining respectful of the family.
"We don't bother the family," Tuttle said. "Sometimes a family will call and want to know what they need to do. We tell them that they don't need to worry about the University. We are here to help them in any way we can."
As soon as Student Success receives news of the student's death, it ripples through the departments, making all the necessary changes as quickly as possible. The following outlines how the University handles a student death.
Edited by Alicia Banister
Information is passed from one department to the next in a specific order
NEWS REACHES CAMPUS
Student Success is notified of a student death through a variety of ways, sometimes by law enforcement or by the family. If the family calls, they are either directed to Student Success or have their information taken and passed along to Student Success to avoid being shuffled around.
STUDENT SUCCESS
After Student Success is notified, it contacts all departments relating to that student. Student Success offers a variety of services to the family, including help in claiming the student's possessions. It finds out about services for the student and sends flowers. It also does what it can to facilitate any peer services on campus. The student's professors are contacted and offered counseling services for their classes.
Information provided by Jane Tuttle, assistant vice provost of student success
REGISTRAR
When the registrar receives word of a student's death, it changes the student's records. The student is withdrawn from all of his or her classes. The record is made to indicate the student is deceased. The registrar makes sure that the family doesn't receive any mail from the University. This information is then passed to the Bursar.
Information provided by Maria Herron, associate Registrar
BURSAR
The Bursar has two options: If the student has already paid all of the tuition and housing fees, these are refunded to the family. If the student has not paid his or her debt, the debt is forgiven.
Information provided by Marla Herron and Diana Robertson, director of Housing Office Administration
UNIVERISTY RELATIONS
University relations is contacted. It issues a condolence statement and contacts the chancellor's office to include the chancellor's statement. It also handles any sort of media relations concerning the student.
Information provided by Todd Cohen, director of the Office of University Relations
LIBRARIES
When the libraries are notified, employees check to see if the student had anything that belonged to the library. If the student had any library material, the library makes no effort to reclaim the materials. It waits for the family to find and return any item when they are able. It also makes sure notices are sent back to the library, instead of to the family.
Information provided by Kent Miller, associate dean of libraried.
STUDENT HOUSING
If the student was living in student housing when he or she died, or had in the past, the Student Housing Department offers support to anyone who knew the student. It collaborates with Student Success to help the family reclaim the student's possessions. It also passes any financial information to the Bursar's office.
Information provided by Diana Robertson, director of Housing Office Administration
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid returns aid to the government and cancels any aid that has not been given to the student. It then passes information on any debt back to Student Success, so the family can have it discharged.
Information provided by Joan Weaver, associate director of Student Financial Aid
CAMPUS
CAMPUS Activist and Uganda Jewish leader visits Kansas Union
Ugandan Jewish community leader J.J. Keki will speak and sing at a free event tonight at the Kansas Union.
Priest released after month-long captivity in Phillipines
Keki is a Grammy-nominated musician and activist for the sale of fair trade coffee in Africa. He will give an hour-long presentation, play guitar and take questions from the audience in a program called "Kulanu," which in Hebrew means "All Together"
CRIME
Jonathan Eisen, St. Louis senior and volunteer for the event, said Keki led a community of about one thousand Ugandan Jews. He said Keki was a good example of the diversity of the worldwide Jewish population.
The event is sponsored by KU Hillel, the Kansas African Studies Center and the School of Social Welfare. It will begin at 7 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium, in the Kansas Union.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"Having a large Jewish community in Africa is pretty unique, and having their leader come here to Lawrence is a pretty special opportunity," Eisen said.
DUBLIN — A 79-year-old Irish Roman Catholic priest abducted in the Philippines a month ago was freed early Thursday and neither country paid any of the kidnappers' $2 million ransom demand, Irish and Filipino authorities said.
The Rev. Michael Sinnott said he was not harmed but complained of arduous journeys as kidnappers took him by sea and through jungles to evade government troops.
Justin Leverett
"I was treated well. Once I had been kidnapped and brought to the boat, that was very rough," he told Manila's ABS-CBN television from a military camp in southern Zamboanga city.
He said he was not angry with the kidnappers, whom the Philippine government suspected had ties with a large Muslim rebel
group, "They gave me lectures on their ideology but apart from that, they treated me well."
Irish President Mary McAleese called Sinnott's freedom the answer to the shared prayers of millions in both countries.
"He is clearly a man of great resilience, strength and courage and we wish him well as he seeks to recover from such a trying ordeal." McAleese said.
And Prime Minister Brian Cowen said the government would help the priest enjoy "a speedy reunion with his family and friends."
Six armed men abducted Sinnott Oct. 11 from his missionary home on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, escaped by speedboat, and took him into the jungle.
Officials had feared he could suffer a fatal heart attack because he was still recovering from heart-
bypass surgery. Rumors persisted that he had died in captivity.
Philippine security officials blamed Sinnott's kidnapping on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a separatist group that has fought for decades for Muslim self-rule in the predominantly Catholic country.
But the rebels denied involvement.
Rebel leader Mohagher Iqbal said his group applied "pressure and our moral authority" on the kidnappers to release Sinnott.
Chief Philippine negotiator Rafael Seguis credited Moro rebel leadership with persuading the kidnappers to hand over the priest.
Senior military, commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said Sinnott was debriefed in the southern military camp before flying to Manila later Thursday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rev. Michael Sinnott, center, a 79-year-old Irish Catholic priest abducted in the Southern Philippines a month ago, is escorted to his plane in Zamboanga city for a flight to Manila. Manila was released early Thursday.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN BE A PART
OF THE NATION'S BEST NEWSPAPER STAFF
HIRING SOON FOR SPRING 2010
- CREATIVES *
* ACCT. EXECUTIVES *
OPEN POSITIONS INCLUDE
INFO SESSIONS WILL BEGIN
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18
7 O'CLOCK PM
CLAWSON, Mich. — Police said a woman threatened her husband with a 7-inch knife after he threw away her bottle of vodka as she slept in their suburban Detroit home. Clawson police Lt. Scott Sarvello told The Daily Tribune of Royal Oak the man returned home from work Sunday night to find his wife sleeping with a bottle of vodka. He threw away the bottle.
Associated Press
CRIME Wife threatens husband for throwing away vodka
Dr. Kevin Lenahan Your optometrist.
785. 838.3200 9th & Iowa
www.lenahaneyedoc.com
Jews & Diversity in Uganda
with a discussion, performance, & presentation starring: JJ Keki
KU SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE
The University of Kansas
7:00 pm in the
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Alderson Auditorium
(Kansas Union)
LAWRENCE
JEWISH
COMMUNITY
CENTER
V
into
que
tryi
anime size agaia said Matt Illinence
T was Mar vatin