While the UNC campus community is celebrating its last day of classes on Friday, details are emerging of a tragedy that took place one week before.

A student death was reported in Thomas Ruffin Jr. Residence Hall on the morning of Friday, April 21, according to UNC Police’s crime log. WRAL first reported the student death, with university police confirming it to Chapelboro on Friday.

A spokesperson said while the investigation is still ongoing, UNC Police believe there is no threat to the campus’ safety — a critical detail that determines whether an Alert Carolina message is shared to the community when there is a death. Employee guidelines created by the Student Affairs office state that “under no circumstances should any University employee make any public comment or statement about an individual’s cause of death” as part of its student death protocols.

While the campus community was less influenced by COVID-19 safety measures and remote learning this year compared to prior, mental health stressors continue to be an ongoing issue for many college students. During the 2021-22 school year, UNC grappled with multiple student deaths by suicide — cancelling classes for an extra wellness day in October and holding a mental health summit to discuss a path forward for the university to better address student needs.

Thomas Ruffin Jr. Residence Hall is off of Lenoir Drive and is one of the dorms closest to UNC’s central academic halls. It is typically home to upperclassmen students.

The revelation of the death on UNC campus comes as N.C. State University continues to respond to several student deaths as well. N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson alerted the Raleigh campus about two deaths by suicide within 24 hours on Thursday night, which brought the school’s total to 14 student deaths in the current academic year.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255. UNC students can contact UNC Counseling and Psychological Services at the 24-hour phone line at 919-966-3658. 

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