Ethan Brown, aged 24, took his own life in December 2024. The University had told him that he was ineligible to graduate with a Geography honours degree in September. However, a posthumous internal investigation found Brown achieved a 2:1 honours degree.
Tracy Scott, Brown’s mother, said there was a “systematic problem” at the University, and was not confined to the Geographical and Earth Sciences department.
The University of Glasgow told Hillhead Review that they are confident the failure is not systematic, but an isolated incident. They have undertaken a review of academic and wellbeing practices.
Representing the family, former Rector Aamer Anwar, said: “Ethan’s family were horrified to learn that not only had Ethan been failed by the university, but that this failure was a systemic problem that was not just confined to the Geographical and Earth Sciences (GES) department.
“The family, therefore, ask how many other hundreds or thousands of students at the university have been wrongly failed. They also ask whether this systemic failure would ever have been identified had Ethan not died?”
Earlier this year, an investigation by Hillhead Review found that waiting times for mental health services at the University had increased 600% in just two years. Students admitting they were at risk from self-harm or suicide were allegedly ignored by services.
Current Rector Dr Ghassan Abu Sitah told Hillhead Review he will meet with student representatives at the University “over the next three days” to investigate Ethan Brown’s passing. This will be his first appearance of the academic year.
The University of Glasgow said: “Ethan Brown was a final-year undergraduate student in the B.Sc. Geography programme who was due to complete his degree in summer 2024. The University wrongly informed him that he did not have the necessary credits to graduate. Tragically, Ethan took his own life on 13 December 2024, following which his family contacted the University seeking information about his studies. Upon investigation, the University identified the error and commissioned an internal report by a recently retired senior professor into the circumstances; this was shared with Ethan’s family on its completion.
“The Deputy Vice Chancellor and the compiler of the report met with representatives of the family in early February 2025 to talk through the findings and offer a sincere apology as well as our deepest sympathies.
“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 has checked all its records and is confident that the error in relation to Ethan’s marks was an isolated one and that no other students have been affected. Even so, we have undertaken a thorough review of our academic and wellbeing policies and practices. We have also revised our training programmes for members of staff involved in exam boards. We continue to look for ways to further strengthen our quality assurance processes and our support for students.
“We are profoundly sorry that this terrible event occurred and understand the deep distress it has caused Ethan’s family. The Principal has indicated to the family’s lawyers that he would be willing to have another meeting with the family to express his sympathies and discuss the actions taken by the University.”
It is currently unclear what measures the University plans to take to ensure similar incidents are prevented.
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