Reminder: Communicating death of a campus community member

As a member of the SUNY New Paltz community, you may be notified of a campus member’s death through an obituary, friend, colleague or student. Should you receive such news, please help the College provide a compassionate and coordinated response by notifying the Office of Communication & Marketing at communication@newpaltz.edu or 845-257-3245.

As appropriate and as determined by the Office of the President, information about a death in our campus community will be provided to students, faculty and staff via email and/or as part of the College’s daily news digest. The following general protocols will be followed:

The Office of the President notifies the campus community about current student or employee deaths (including Campus Auxiliary Services, Sodexo and Bookstore employees). The Office of the President may also notify the campus community about the deaths of current or past College Council members, Foundation Board directors or longtime friends of the College, or it may be reported in the daily news digest.

News of the death of an emeritus or former/retired faculty, staff or administrator is typically shared by a vice president, dean, director or direct supervisor of a particular department after consultation with the Office of the President and the Office of Communication & Marketing. In some instances, the Office of the President may determine that it is appropriate for the President to share this information with the campus community directly.

Death notifications will not be shared before verification with a family member or funeral home. The College will also confirm years of employment with the Office of Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion, as appropriate.

Deaths of family members of current employees should be shared with the appropriate vice president, dean, director or direct supervisor, who may then provide the employee with counseling resource information and will determine with the employee whether to share this news with colleagues.

Alumni deaths are collected by the Alumni Relations Office and shared in New Paltz Magazine twice a year.