A female member of the Class of 2012 died in Hanover on Thursday, according to a campus-wide email sent by interim College President Carol Folt and Dean of the College Charlotte Johnson. The recent graduate, whose name has not been released, pending notification of her family, died suddenly in her off-campus home.
While officials are currently investigating, Folt and Johnson said that her death is not being treated as suspicious.
At the time of the email, Hanover Police was in the process of notifying the woman's family. Folt and Johnson said that they were not releasing any further information regarding the student or her death at the time "out of respect for [the family's] privacy."
Dartmouth administrators and staff contacted students who were identified as close friends of the woman in order to "offer support," the email said.
Folt and Johnson also said that the College will provide various support and outreach services to students in wake of the recent graduate's death.
"We want you to know that your friends, your family and numerous counselors are available to listen and help you," the email said.
Community directors attended to students in residence halls Thursday night. Folt and Johnson also said that they recommend that students who wish to speak with a professional, such as a counselor or chaplain, contact Safety and Security, who will direct them to appropriate resources. Safety and Security was available throughout the evening on Thursday as a resource.
In addition to Safety and Security, Folt and Johnson notified students that the Counseling and Human Development Department opened early on Friday morning at 8 a.m. and will have extended hours this weekend. The department, which is part of the College Health Service, offers "prevention-oriented psychological services" for Dartmouth students and staff to "discuss any issues causing concern," according to the department's website.
"Dartmouth is a compassionate community where the troubles of any one of us are a concern for all of us," Folt and Johnson wrote. "We will be in touch as we have more information to share."
The woman's death marks the second student death this year. On Jan. 7, Crispin Scott '13 was found dead in a Barcelona apartment while studying abroad on the Academy of Liberal and Beaux-Arts program run by Portland State University. Scott, who was studying mathematics at the College, was a member of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity and the Dartmouth men's rugby team. Spanish police arrested Oscar Vincente Castro Cadeno, a 41-year-old from Ecuador accused of fatally drugging Scott, on homicide charges.
