Update, posted 10:10 p.m.: Reaction from president of School of Continuing Studies Student Advisory Board
Melanie Wang, the president of the School of Continuing Studies Student Advisory Board, said the death had made her realize the close tie between SCS and the University community.
“We can come together as a broader community to support the people who have been affected by (Tsay’s death),” said Wang, who is studying public policy and administration.
She said the death was a “big shock” for everyone in the student body.
“From the SAB perspective, it’s a struggle to get a sense of Northwestern’s broader community,” Wang said. “Seeing one of our students on the news and the tragedy that has happened, it hits home for us that our students are just as much a part of Northwestern.”
She said she had yet to hear officially from administrators regarding Tsay’s death.
Check back for more updates throughout the day.
Update, posted 1:50 p.m.: Cause of death pending toxicology test
The examination of Tsay’s body Monday did not determine a cause of death, a spokesman in the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said Monday afternoon.
“They will not make a determination on it until the (toxicology reports) are back,” said the spokesman, who did not give his name.
Toxicology reports usually take six to eight weeks to receive, another employee in the office said Sunday. Spokesmen for the Evanston Police Department and University Police were unavailable for comment Monday.
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Update, posted 11:40 a.m.: Tsay family declines to comment
A man who answered the phone at Tsay’s Northfield, Ill., address said he was the student’s father and declined to comment.
The family would like to keep the death as private as possible, the man said.
“He was a wonderful boy, and that’s how I want him to be remembered,” he said.
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Update, posted 10:50 a.m.: Student identity confirmed
Brian Tsay, a 25-year-old from Northfield, Ill., was found dead in the University Library bathroom, a spokesman for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Monday morning.
The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the name earlier Monday. The Sun-Times listed the time of death as 9:35 a.m., but the medical examiner’s office spokesman could not confirm that information.
According to a LinkedIn page, Tsay graduated from the University of Michigan in 2008 with a bachelor of arts in economics and was in a post-baccalaureate finance program at NU.
At Michigan, Tsay participated in the Economics Society, the MBA Finance Club and the Boxing Club, according to the LinkedIn page.
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Update, posted Monday, May 31, 10:20 a.m.: Location of death
A staff member found the body of a 25-year-old Northwestern student in the University Library bathroom, Dean of Student Burgwell Howard confirmed Monday morning.
The library reopened to students at 8:30 a.m. Monday.
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Full original story, posted Sunday, May 30, 8 p.m.
Members of the Northwestern community reacted with shock to the death of a student found in the University Library on Sunday while officials planned to examine the body Monday morning.
A 25-year-old male student in the School of Continuing Studies was found by a University Library or housekeeping staffer just before 10 a.m. Sunday, Dean of Students Burgwell Howard confirmed Monday.
The medical examiner’s office is investigating the incident with the Evanston Police Department.
“On behalf of Northwestern, I offer our deepest sympathy to our student’s family, friends and fellow students,” Vice President for Student Affairs William Banis wrote in an e-mail to NU students and staff Sunday afternoon. “The death of any one member of our community affects all of us.”
The library, 1970 Campus Drive, remained closed Sunday and reopened Monday at 8:30 a.m.
Weinberg senior Zavia Wang, an employee who helped close the library Saturday night, said “everything was fine” when she left her shift at 12 a.m.
As news of the death spread Sunday, NU was following the family’s wishes about the student’s identity and keeping private as many details as possible, administrators said.
“We do not have any plans to release more information regarding the identity of the student at this time,” University spokesman Al Cubbage said.
Still, officials decided to release some information for the benefit of students.
“Obviously some of the details, we feel we need to share,” Howard said.
Students seeking to study for finals or work on projects at the beginning of Reading Week were turned away from the library by police Sunday.
At least four EPD and University Police cars were stationed outside, along with a large black van. EPD spokesman Tom Guenther was not available for comment.
Banis’ e-mail invited students to use the Seeley G. Mudd Science and Engineering Library, 2233 Tech Drive, Sunday.
The e-mail also informed students that Counseling and Psychological Services will be available to assist them.
Associated Student Government President Claire Lew called the death “incredibly tragic.”
“Hopefully as a Northwestern community we can come together to support part of our Northwestern family,” the SESP junior said.
The student was found the day after Dillo Day, an all-day music festival sometimes associated with heavy student drinking. There were no indications that the death was related to Dillo Day festivities.
Toxicology reports usually take six to eight weeks, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office said.
SCS allows students to pursue both graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as certificates. It offers night classes at NU’s downtown campus, making it convenient for students with jobs and families who live near downtown.
Students, who have an average age of 24, take classes on both the Chicago and Evanston campuses.
SCS administrators were unavailable for comment Sunday.
Karen Komaravalli, vice president for the school’s Student Advisory Board, said it would be difficult to discuss the death before the student’s identity is released.
“I’m extremely saddened by any loss to the SCS community and am waiting to hear the full extent of what happened,” Komaravalli, an SCS senior, wrote in an e-mail.
S.K. Dachowitz and Brian Rosenthal contributed reporting.
