UNO Campus Policies

Scope

All University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) active faculty/staff member, retiree, or student.

Policy Statement

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) wants to ensure that the contributions made by our faculty/staff members, retirees and students who have passed away can be recognized by the campus community. 

Reason for Policy

To provide a consistent procedure for notifying the appropriate departments/persons so that the recognition of the deceased person can be accomplished.

Procedures

Active Faculty or Staff Member

• The affected department or college must timely notify the Human Resources Benefits Division (Benefits) at unobenefits@unomaha.edu of the death of one of their staff or faculty members. The notification should include the individual’s name and the date of death. Benefits will respond upon receipt of notice.
• Colleagues in the affected department will be notified by their department management that they can obtain counseling from the Faculty/Employee Assistance Program.
• Benefits will notify the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communication (MarComm) so that the notice can be included in the Maverick Daily. MarComm will be provided with the name of the individual, the department they worked in, job title, the date of death, employment date, years of service, and the birth date and age at the time of death.
• MarComm will coordinate the flag lowering with the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the Flag Policy.
• Benefits will notify the Chancellor’s Office with all relevant information so that they can send a condolence letter to the family.
• Benefits will be responsible for consulting with the appropriate personnel to complete any and all necessary HR forms and to update benefits systems and records.
• Benefits will send a letter and packet of information to the next of kin on record, as appropriate, concerning university benefits, life insurance, final pay, and retirement plans.

Retiree

• Benefits shall be notified of the death of a retiree from a variety of different sources; including but not limited to the retiree’s family, the retiree’s former department or co-worker, the Omaha World-Herald or MarComm.  Such notifications should be directed to unobenefits@unomaha.edu. Benefits will respond upon receipt of notice.
• Benefits will notify MarComm so that the notice can be included in the Maverick Daily. MarComm will be provided with the name of the individual, the department they worked in, job title, the date of death, employment date, years of service, retirement date, and the birth date and age at the time of death.

• MarComm will coordinate the flag lowering with the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the Flag Policy.

• Benefits will be responsible for consulting with the appropriate personnel to complete any and all necessary HR forms and to update benefits systems and records including an e-mail notification to University Central Administration so that they can update their records.

• Benefits will send a letter and packet of information to the next of kin on record, as appropriate, concerning university benefits, life insurance, final pay, and retirement plans.

Student

In the event of the death of a student, the Division of Student Life and wellbeing will execute the following protocols.  These protocols are subject to change:

• The Dean of Students shall promptly notify the Registrar, Housing, ITS-Security, Financial Support and Scholarship, Student Accounts and Cashiering.
• The Registrar will withdraw the student on the date of death and make all email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers inactive.
• ITS-Security will deactivate email accounts and remove file storage.
• Housing will determine prorated balance amounts, adjust such account accordingly, and return any remaining monies as a deposit to the family.
• Housing will determine if the student had a meal plan and adjust such account accordingly.
• Financial Support and Scholarship will conduct an analysis/R2T4 and adjust financial aid awards if necessary.
• Financial Support and Scholarship will send a condolence letter to the next of kin, with a copy to the Dean of Students, including options for loan discharge.
• If the family made a payment to the student’s account, they will be reimbursed for the current semester at which the student applied.
• Cashiering and Student Accounts will determine if there is a credit (which will be refunded) or a balance remaining.
• Refunds are issued to the estate of the student.

Any balance remaining on the account requires final approval by the Dean of Students for deceased write-off.

Chancellor’s Annual Memorial Day Letter

In May each year, Benefits will notify the Chancellor’s Office so that they can send a condolence letter to a family member of those staff/faculty and retirees who have passed away in the previous twelve (12) months. Human Resources will provide the Chancellor’s Office with the name of the individual, the name of the surviving spouse or family member, and the address to use for the condolence letter.

Related Information

UNO Flag Policy

History

This policy, originally titled ‘Death Claim Notification, was developed and approved prior to the implementation of the campus policy development and approval process established in October 2015. This current policy was approved by the Senior Executive Leadership Team on June 6, 2024.