College Faculty Member Grief Over Deaths of Current and Former Students

Abstract

This article is an autoethnographic exploration of college faculty grief. Over a career, a college teacher is likely to encounter deaths of current and former students. The rich connections that can develop in a faculty–student relationship can make for strong grief. Issues that can complicate faculty grief include regrets that might be unique to faculty–student relationships and information about the deceased that the faculty member feels obligated to keep confidential and cannot mention while processing their grief with others. Faculty members may rarely have the benefit of attending funeral or memorial services for students and former students, but with the deaths of current or recent students, a faculty member is likely to have colleagues and students who knew the deceased with whom to talk. With deaths of students from long ago, a faculty member is likely to be limited to processing grief with people who never knew the deceased.

A Qualitative Exploration of Nurse Faculty Experiences Related to the Sudden Unanticipated Death of a Nursing Student

“…Faculty make close connections with many students that can result in feelings of sadness and loss 2. Some faculty members express regrets that they could have played a role in the prevention of the student's death 2. A more intense grief response has been reported by staff/faculty who experienced the death of a student by suicide 10.…”

“…The primary role of nursing faculty focuses on students’ growth in knowledge and skills in preparation for practice. Faculty engage with students often and consistently over the course of semesters and often create strong bonds with their students 2. The unique relationships between faculty and students create challenges when impacted by the sudden death of a student.…”

“…This grief may impact their current and future interactions with grieving students. Rosenblatt2 describes faculty experiences after the deaths of students and asserts, it is a phenomenon not yet understood. Clearly, the grief experience of nurse faculty following the sudden unanticipated death of a student lacks both exploration and description in nursing and academic literature.…”

“…Faculty engage with students often and consistently over the course of semesters and often create strong bonds with their students. 2 The unique relationships between faculty and students create challenges when impacted by the sudden death of a student. Faculty may experience significant grief and feel unsure of how best to navigate this grief in their role as an educator.…”

“…According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,3 the age-adjusted death rates for 15 to 24-year-old increased by 5.6% from 2020 to 2021. A growing number of publications on college student bereavement through the lens of the grieving student exists,4-10 but there is minimal exploration into the emotional responses and potential challenges facing faculty 2,10. Unique concerns faculty face in their role include how to support the grieving student while also grieving.…”