Uni of Glasgow accused of ‘failing’ student who ended his life after ‘tragic’ grade error

The University of Glasgow has been accused of “failing” a student who took his own life, after a “tragic” grading error wrongly led him to believe he hadn’t achieved the mark needed to graduate.

Ethan Scott Brown died by suicide on the day of his graduation. He was later found to have achieved a 2:1 honours degree, despite being told repeatedly he’d failed.

The university has since apologised for the “tragic error” made in calculating the 23-year-old’s grades.

Ethan, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, was informed in September 2024 that he had not secured the mark required to graduate with honours. Believing he would not receive his degree, he took his own life on 13th December 2024, the day he would have graduated, the Guardian reports.

He was found dead at home by his mother, Tracy Scott.

Tracy told the Daily Record she felt prepared for Ethan’s graduation, and her son hadn’t displayed signs of concerning behaviour the night before.

The family was ready with cakes and presents, and when they didn’t see Ethan in the morning, his mother initially believed he’d slept in.

Tracy said: “If he’d turned around and said he was not graduating tomorrow, it would have been ok. But it’s obviously been too much for him.

“If we’d asked the question… that’s what’s a struggle for the family to think that he thought his hands were tied and there was no way back.”

“It just turned into the worst day ever and it was supposed to be the happiest,” she added.

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An internal inquiry, launched following pressure from Ethan’s family, has now revealed the geography student had in fact earned sufficient marks for a 2:1 degree.

The investigation, conducted by a retired senior professor, identified “systemic errors” in the marking process, which were not detected by internal exam boards or an external review panel.

The inquiry also found Ethan had disclosed to staff that he was suffering from deteriorating mental health during his final year, requesting two deadline extensions. However, he was not referred to student support services.

The University of Glasgow via Canva

The university admitted on Tuesday 30th September that it had failed to offer him adequate care.

“Ethan left this world believing he had failed, and that the University of Glasgow were correct,” his mother said at a press conference.

“The truth is, Ethan had successfully attained a 2:1 honours degree, despite the university repeatedly informing him he had been unsuccessful. They failed him, not only academically, but also in their duty of care,” Tracy added.

Describing her son as “a kind, caring young man who was very much loved,” Ethan’s mother said the family has been robbed of him because of the university’s mistakes.

The University of Glasgow said: “We are profoundly sorry that this terrible event occurred and understand the deep distress it has caused Ethan’s family. The report found that a tragic error had been made in calculating Ethan’s degree outcome.

“It indicated that this error should have been picked up during the exam board process. A further shortcoming involved communications with Ethan, including the fact that he was not referred to student support services when he disclosed wellbeing concerns.”

The university insisted the case was an isolated incident, but said it had reviewed its academic and wellbeing policies, and introduced new training for staff involved in exam boards.

However, Aamer Anwar, the family’s solicitor and a former Glasgow University rector, believes the failures raised wider questions about the university’s systems.

He said: “Had the family not demanded answers after Ethan’s death, these systemic failures would never have been uncovered.”

“The family are asking how many other students have been wrongly failed, and whether this issue extended beyond geography and Earth sciences,” Aamer added.

The university has offered to meet Ethan’s family again with its new principal, Professor Andy Schofield, though Anwar has been excluded from those discussions. The university declined to comment on why the solicitor could not be involved.

However, Professor Schofield has said he is willing to meet with the family under those conditions “to express his sympathies and discuss the actions taken by the university”.

The University of Glasgow has been approached for comment.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123.

SHOUT, a confidential text support service, can be contacted by texting the word “shout” to 85258. 

All University of Glasgow students can access a free confidential helpline on 0800 028 3766 (or use the Student Space app) to discuss any difficulties they may be facing.

Glasgow Caledonian’s student wellbeing support services can be accessed by calling +44 (0)141 273 1393.

The University of Strathcylde’s wellbeing service can be contacted via +44 (0) 141 548 3402.

If you are at imminent risk, call 999. 

Featured image via YouTube