LOS ANGELES _ A series of student deaths at USC this semester has prompted concern and a demand for answers among the campus community.
The latest death occurred Monday afternoon when a 28-year-old man was found dead in an apartment off-campus. His cause of death was not immediately released. The man was a USC student, university officials said Tuesday.
The death comes days after top USC administrators sent letters to students and parents acknowledging the series of fatalities among the student body.
University officials confirmed this week that nine students died between late August and early November. Not all causes of death have been determined, but officials say three were suicides. In one note to the campus community, USC President Carol Folt and other administrators wrote that "the student losses are devastating and heartbreaking for all of us."
"There is a great deal of speculation about the causes of these deaths and most are being attributed to suicide," the letter states. "This is not correct."
Winston Crisp, the university's vice president for student affairs, said he and other administrators decided to move quickly with as much transparency as possible to quell rumors about the deaths and to remind students that resources are available to help anyone in need.
School administrators have faced a balancing act between sharing adequate information with students without overloading them with unnecessary details.
"We know that our students are looking for answers," said Sarah Van Orman, chief health officer for USC Student Health. "It's important that if we hear misinformation, we share what we do know."
The first death this semester was reported in late August, two days before classes began. Incoming freshman Matthew Olson, 18, was hit and killed on the 110 Freeway while walking between two FasTrak lanes.
The series of deaths has hit the campus community hard. In a typical school year, Van Orman said that the university has experienced four to 15 student deaths. Last year, six were reported during the entire year.
Student Body President Trenton Stone, a junior originally from Salt Lake City, said that all eight members of his executive board, including himself, knew at least one of the people who have died over the past three months.
"It's definitely been a really tough semester for us," Stone said. "There's a lot going on, and everyone's asking the same question: What can we be doing?"
Stone said the student government is planning a community event for people to come together to support one another, alongside health professionals. Stone has been on campus amid previous student deaths, but the number of recent deaths in a short span is especially jarring, he said.
Natalie Bettendorf, a junior and managing editor for the Daily Trojan, published an article Monday morning detailing the deaths and the university's attempts to boost mental health resources. Bettendorf, who developed a wellness initiative in the newsroom to ensure staff members are getting support when covering difficult events, said the newspaper began discussions on how to cover student deaths last year.
"Students are pleading for answers from the university. There's a sense of desperation from within the student body. There have been too many deaths and not enough answers," she said.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. A caller is connected to a certified crisis center near where the call is placed. The call is free and confidential.
