Community Corner

University Responds to Death of Cameron Bruce

After two students, including a Westporter, died in accidents, Queen's University grapples with alcohol use on campus.

Correction: The original version of this story mistakenly reported that the cancellation of homecoming was due to the death of Bruce. Instead, the event was cancelled for the third year in a row due to continued safety concerns. Patch regrets the error.

Cameron Bruce, a popular Staples grad, died in September 2010 after falling from a dorm window at Queen’s University in Ontario. Eleven weeks later, another freshman fell to his death.

Now, the school will implement policies to curb the widespread use of alcohol.

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 “The deaths of Cameron Bruce and Habib Khan are terrible tragedies that have deeply affected the Queen’s community,” said Daniel Woolf, principal, in a statement.  “We are committed to maximizing student safety and success at Queen’s and we will move forward immediately in response to the coroner’s recommendations. We want to do all we can to minimize the chances of these kinds of accidents.”

The deaths rocked the campus. Due to safety concerns and widespread revelry, the school cancelled homecoming for the third year in a row in 2010. Bruce died during “Frosh Week,” a celebration for new students that reportedly involves heavy drinking, although the Globe and Mail reports that it’s unclear whether alcohol was related in his death.

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Some of the changes suggested by Dr. Roger Skinner, the regional coroner, are as follows:

  • Undertake an accelerated review of the possession and use of alcohol in residences, the feasibility of obtaining student consent for the inspection of residence rooms for alcohol, security resources, and the peer/student judicial system.
  • Review the Campus Alcohol Policy.
  • Develop and support educational programs directed at changing the culture of drinking on campus.

According to university administrators, work is ongoing to limit drinking on campus, and some of those recommendations are already being implemented.

“Like other universities, we are wrestling with the societal issue of alcohol consumption and excessive drinking in the university-aged population,” says John Pierce, associate vice-principal and dean of student affairs, in a statement. “Our approach is one of harm-reduction. We’ve been proactively addressing this issue for several years and will continue to do so.”

According to a 2005 study about alcohol-related deaths among college students, 1,825 college students die annually from accidents. Nearly 600,000 students between 18-24 years old are injured, while more than 3 million drive under the influence of alcohol.

Bruce, who enjoyed swimming and performing music, was an engineering student who would often tinker with objects to see how they worked. He was also remembered for his kindness, and were made in his name after he died. His father, Iain, graduated from Queen's University.


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