“It’s horribly unfair, and there’s no reason we should accept it without emotion,” Barnes wrote. “Any of you is welcome to stop by my office any time if you want to talk.”

Barnes wrote that Heidemann died in Mercy Medical Center’s emergency room in Canton but added “we may never know” the circumstances of Heidemann’s death.

Stark County Coroner’s office could not comment and said an autopsy report would take months.

Heidemann graduated with a doctorate from The Ohio State University and joined Kent State University’s faculty in fall of 2012. He focused his research on “elite decision-making in presidential nominations” and “the changing nature of grassroots mobilization” and restrictive attitudes toward voting, according to his biography on the department’s website.

He taught courses in American Politics, Public Opinion and Political Research Methods. The classes he was teaching this semester will resume next Monday, Barnes wrote.

“No one can replace Erik, but I’ve already had faculty members volunteer to take on extra classes to make sure students don’t miss out,” he wrote.

Contact Daniel Moore at [email protected].