A devastating tragedy unfolded when a 23-year-old student, Ethan Scott Brown, took his life on December 13, 2024, the day he was supposed to graduate from the University of Glasgow. Brown had been studying Geography at the university and had been notified in September 2024 that he would not be eligible to graduate due to a failed course. This news sent him into a spiral of despair, and he tragically ended his life believing he had failed.
His mother, Tracy Scott, was the one to find him dead in his bedroom on graduation day. After seeking answers from the university, the family discovered that Ethan had, in fact, been awarded the wrong grade for the course in question due to an error by the university. The mistake was not identified by internal exam boards, nor was it detected by an external board. This error meant that Ethan had actually earned a 2:1 honors degree, contrary to the incorrect information that led to his death.
The family expressed deep concern about what they believe is a systemic failure at the University of Glasgow. They claim that the institution’s lack of support for struggling students, coupled with poor communication and a failure to identify the error, contributed to Ethan’s tragic outcome. Despite the university’s acknowledgment of the mistake and its admission that Ethan’s case was an isolated incident, the family is calling for more thorough oversight and accountability from the institution.
The university has since conducted an internal review, which confirmed the error in Ethan’s grades and resulted in an apology to his family. The institution also acknowledged the lack of student support services provided to Ethan, despite him reporting mental health difficulties. The family is now questioning whether other students may have been affected by similar mistakes and whether proper support systems are in place to help those struggling with mental health.
The University of Glasgow has pledged to improve its academic and well-being policies, promising further training for staff involved in grading and student support. Meanwhile, the family is considering legal action and pushing for stronger governance and student protection policies to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The tragic incident has sparked wider conversations about the duty of care universities owe to their students, particularly in terms of mental health and academic support.
