The family of a student who took his own life after being wrongly told he would not be eligible to graduate have settled a civil court action with the University of Glasgow.
Ethan Scott Brown, 23, was due to graduate in December 2024 after studying geography at the university. However, his family said that in September that year, the university told him he had not been awarded a grade for one course and would therefore not be eligible to graduate with an honours degree.
His family said as a result, he took his own life on December 13 2024 – the day he should have been graduating. He was found dead in his bedroom by his mother Tracy Scott early that morning. Ms Scott, who later collected her son’s degree posthumously, has called for a fatal accident inquiry to be held into his death.
Civil action settled
On Tuesday, the family released a statement through their solicitor Aamer Anwar. It said: “Following the suicide of University of Glasgow student Ethan Brown, we launched a civil action which has now been settled by the university.
“It was only after Ethan’s family challenged the university’s handling of his academic results that an internal investigation established he had been incorrectly graded – Ethan should in fact have graduated with a 2:1 honours degree and the error had not been identified by university staff, two internal examination boards or an external examination board.”
“The family were devastated to learn the mistake had passed through multiple levels of the university’s assessment and examination process without being detected. Despite Ethan disclosing concerns about his mental health, he was not provided with appropriate support by the university that may have saved his life.”
Calls for investigation
The family are due to meet Scottish Education Secretary Mairi McAllan on Wednesday. The sum of the settlement with the university has not been disclosed.
Searches for “truth and accountability” around Ethan’s death should continue, the family said. The statement continued: “The family continue to call for a full and transparent investigation into the university’s academic processes, decision-making and student welfare procedures, or it is only a matter of time before another family experiences the same tragic loss.”
A University of Glasgow spokesman said: “The University is profoundly sorry that Ethan tragically took his own life and fully understands the deep distress this has caused his family. We repeat our sincere apology as well as our deepest sympathy.
“Following an internal investigation into assessment regulations, the University self-referred to the Scottish Funding Council. The quality assurance agency subsequently carried out a targeted peer review, which resulted in a series of recommendations for action. The university fully accepted the recommendations and is on track to implement them.”
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