All students were notified in a mass email from the Dean of Student Life that a resident of Merill-Travis Hall passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
In a video released Wednesday morning, President Bill Pink spoke to the Ferris community about the loss to campus.
“Wrap your arms around each other today, friends. Take care of each other, because that’s what bulldogs do,” Pink said.
Ferris’ official news services statement reports that the the Mecosta County Medical Examiner determined that the student was a freshman from Traverse City. Their identity has not been released during the ongoing investigation.
At this point, there was no indication of foul play. The message from DOSL states that while the cause of death is still unknown, there “does not appear to be a danger to campus.”
Both DOSL and the President’s Office have directed students to the Personal Counseling Center for free services at this time if they are in need of support. Their office can be reached at (231) 591-5968 or email through ThePCC@nullFerris.edu.
Pink’s statement also served as a reminder for students to be cautious when obtaining new information about the death of a student through social media.
“I want to also take a moment to remind everyone that, while social media is immediately accessible and easy to get information from, that information is often inaccurate,” the statement reads. “Please know that Ferris State University is committed to ensuring that the information we provide to our community is not only accurate, but respectful to the family of our student. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this together.”
The Torch will continue coverage on this story as it develops.