College Students’ Feedback on a Student Bereavement Leave Policy

Abstract

Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined how grieving college students perceived the effectiveness, benefits, drawbacks, and areas of improvement of a student bereavement leave policy, Grief Absence Policy for Students (GAPS). Though GAPS facilitated students’ grief, data indicated that the policy could benefit from improvements in the accommodations allowed, implementation process, and provision of ongoing support. We offer practical recommendations for student affairs professionals seeking to support grieving students through an innovative policy.