Response to a Death Within the Seneca Community Policy

To provide a respectful and timely response when a death occurs in the Seneca Polytechnic community.

This policy applies to Seneca students and employees.

A person considered to be important because of high rank or office (e.g., the Sovereign or member of the Royal Family, a current or former head of state, prime minister of Canada or premier of Ontario).

An individual connected to Seneca in some manner who is not a student, employee or retiree.

A Seneca student, employee, retiree or a Friend of Seneca.

An individual's closest living relative. The relative can be blood-related or can be someone who has a legal relationship with an individual.

Any event, project, delivery of educational content or other activity, sanctioned by Seneca, including co-op work terms, field placements, internships or virtual learning environments.

1. Students who witness the death of a member of the Seneca community on Seneca campuses or offsite are requested to contact local emergency services and Security and Emergency Management Services immediately.
2. Students who become aware of the death of another student are requested to inform Student Services.
3. Employees who witness the death of a member of the Seneca community on Seneca campuses or offsite are responsible for contacting local emergency services and Security and Emergency Management Services immediately.
4. Employees who become aware of the death of a student, colleague, retiree or Friend of Seneca are asked to inform Human Resources.
5. Security and Emergency Management Services is responsible for:
   
   • responding to the death of an individual on Seneca campuses in collaboration with local emergency services
   • responding to the death of an individual participating in Seneca activities off campus and internationally in collaboration with local emergency services
   • notifying Seneca’s Senior Executive Team and relevant academic and service areas
   • liaising with law enforcement and government agencies during investigations that may result from an individual’s death
   • providing support to next of kin, or a designate, as required
   • implementing flag protocol on Seneca campuses in collaboration with Communications
6. The President’s Office is responsible for:
   • determining if and how a Friend of Seneca is commemorated
   • acting as Seneca’s official spokesperson 
   • sharing condolences with next of kin, or a designate, on behalf of Seneca
   • determining Seneca representation at funerals or memorial services 
7. Student Services is responsible for:
   • providing students with critical incident support through Counselling Services and other providers 
   • communicating with a deceased student’s Dean and/or Chair, Communications, the Registrar’s Office, the President’s Office, the Seneca Student Federation and, where appropriate, Seneca International and residence administrators
   • providing insights to Communications about the deceased student to help inform messaging for the Seneca community
   • contacting a deceased student’s next of kin, or a designate, to provide support
   • connecting next of kin, or a designate, with a designated employee to serve as their liaison for administrative matters
   • providing the deceased student’s insurance benefit information to the designated insurance brokerage and next of kin, or a designate, where applicable
   • ensuring any of deceased student’s personal belongings on campus or in residence are returned to next of kin, or a designate
   • supporting the deceased student’s next of kin, or a designate and/or agent, assisting with repatriation and informing the appropriate embassy or consulate in the event of an international student’s death
8. Human Resources is responsible for:
   • providing employees critical incident support through the Employee & Family Assistance Program
   • contacting a deceased employee's next of kin, or a designate, to obtain consent to share information about the death and planned commemorations
   • ensuring the employee’s supervisor, President’s Office, Communications and Advancement are aware of the employee’s death
   • providing insights to Communications about the deceased employee to help inform messaging for the Seneca community
   • acting as the primary liaison between the beneficiary, group benefit insurer and pension plan administrator to ensure benefit coverage and pension plan entitlements are administered accurately and in accordance with legislative and contractual requirements
   • updating employee and retiree records upon notification of a death
   • calculating and remitting final payroll obligations owing to the deceased employee to the employee's estate, in accordance with applicable legislation
   • contacting appropriate government agencies and union representatives, where applicable

   • liaising with government agencies on any investigations that may result from an employee’s death, where applicable

9. Communications is responsible for:
   • producing communications about an individual’s death for the Seneca community, in collaboration with appropriate academic and service areas
   • managing media inquiries about deceased members of the Seneca community
   • overseeing flag protocol 
   • monitoring media
10. The Registrar’s Office is responsible for:
    • withdrawing a deceased applicant or student from their program
    • stopping billing and processing refunds, where applicable
    • removing the deceased student from communication lists
    • providing Student Services information about student loans or grants to be shared with next of kin, or a designate
    • issuing a posthumous credential, where appropriate
11.  Information Technology Services is responsible for:
    • deactivating a deceased member of the Seneca community’s email account and removing them from databases for mailings and philanthropy in collaboration with Advancement, where appropriate

• Appendix: Contact information for responding to a death within the Seneca community

• Emergency Management Policy
• Flag Protocol Policy
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

• Employment Standards Act
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990
• Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Seneca Residence Resources

1. If an individual witnesses a member of the Seneca community’s death occurring, they can immediately contact local emergency services and Security and Emergency Management Services:
   • Police and Emergency Services (available 24/7) – dial 911
   • Security Services (available 24/7) – (416) 764-0911, security@senecapolytechnic.ca or the SenecaSAFE app
2. If an individual has knowledge that a member of the Seneca community’s death has occurred, they can contact Student Conduct or Student Services (for students) or Human Resources (for employees, retirees and Friends of Seneca):
   • For students – student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca, theservicehub@senecapolytechnic.ca or a trusted member of the Seneca community
   • For employees, retirees or Friends of Seneca – hr.help@senecapolytechnic.ca
3. Media inquiries about a death within the Seneca community will be directed to media.relations@senecapolytechnic.ca. 

Approval Date: August 2022

Last Revision: March 2026