College Obituary Policy

*Brief Overview of the Policy

This policy outlines the procedures for posting obituaries to the College’s website and the Siena News magazine publication.

Reason for Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidelines for publicizing the obituaries of College faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni and donors. This will give a clear set of regulations for each category. 

Scope of the Policy: Entities or Individuals affected by this policy

All members of the Siena College community will comply with this policy but the office of Marketing and Communications will be directly affected.

The Official Policy

Siena College wishes to memorialize and honor the lives of all of its community members.

I. Alumni:

All alumni who have passed will be commemorated in the Siena News magazine. These names are listed in the “Class News and Notes” section of the magazine. Any names that should appear in this section should be submitted to alumni@siena.edu.

II. Professors:

Any faculty member who passes while employed at Siena will be commemorated with an article on Siena.edu and a quarter page article in the ‘faculty’ section of the Siena News magazine. Any faculty member who passes after retiring from Siena will be commemorated with an article on the Siena website and a quarter page article in the ‘faculty’ section of the Siena News magazine if they have been employed at Siena for 25 years or longer and the Marketing and Communications Office is notified of their passing. If faculty member worked at Siena for fewer than 25 years, their name will be listed in the In Memoriam section of Siena News if the Marketing and Communications Office is notified of their passing.

III. Staff/Administrators:

All current staff and administrator notices of death to Siena community will be handled by the Chaplain’s Office at Siena at chaplainsoffice@siena.edu. Names of all current and former employees who pass will be included in the In Memoriam section of Siena News if the Marketing and Communications Office is notified.

IV. Current Students:

Any current student death will be handled on a case-by-case basis through the Chaplain’s Office in coordination with the Division of Student Life and Office of Marketing and Communications.

V. Friars:

Any friar who has worked or lived at Siena will be commemorated in the Siena News magazine with a half page article if the Office of Marketing and Communications is notified.

VI. Trustees and Former Trustees:

Any current or former trustee will be commemorated with a pull out in the Siena News magazine ‘News and Notes’ section if the Office of Marketing and Communications is notified.

VII. Past Presidents:

Past Presidents will be commemorated with an article on Siena.edu and a full page write up in the Siena News magazine.

VIII. Donors:

Lifetime giving of $500,000 or greater, along with contribution of time and talent to the Siena community will be commemorated with a pull out in the Siena News Magazine ‘News and Notes’ section if the Marketing and Communications Office is notified of their passing.

* Exceptions

Special requests from or approved by the Office of the President

* Resources

Adopted:  10/24/17 (Cabinet)

Reviewed:  10/24/17 (Cabinet)

Revised:  n/a