A mother is demanding answers after her son, a 23-year-old geography student, took his own life following a devastating mistake by the University of Glasgow.
Ethan Brown was told in September 2024 that he would not be able to graduate because he had not received a grade for one of his courses. For months, he believed he had failed to earn his degree. Three months later — on the very day he was meant to graduate — Ethan ended his life.
His mother, Tracy Scott, says the university failed her son both academically and emotionally.
“Ethan was a kind, caring young man who was very much loved,” she said at a press conference. “It breaks my heart to know the mental anguish the university caused him. The truth is, Ethan had actually earned a 2:1 Honours degree, even though the university told him otherwise.”
An internal investigation later confirmed what the family feared — Ethan had been awarded the wrong grade due to a university error. The mistake went unnoticed by multiple internal and external exam boards.
Ms. Scott said her son had been struggling with his mental health and had reached out to the university, but received no support.
“They failed him, not only academically, but also as a human being. The system robbed us of Ethan,” she said.
The family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, called the case a “systemic failure,” questioning whether the error would have ever been discovered if Ethan had not died and his family had not pressed for answers. He also raised concerns about the university’s mental health and wellbeing support for students.
In a statement, the University of Glasgow expressed “profound sorrow” over the tragedy and admitted that an internal review found a “tragic error” in calculating Ethan’s grades.
“We identified the error and commissioned an internal report into the circumstances, which has been shared with Ethan’s family,” a university spokesperson said. “We are deeply sorry for what has happened and understand the distress it has caused.”
The university insisted the error was an isolated case and that no other students were affected. It also admitted that communication shortcomings meant Ethan was not referred to student support services when he should have been.
The university’s principal, Prof. Sir Anton Muscatelli, has indicated his willingness to meet Ethan’s family to discuss the institution’s response and next steps.
For Tracy Scott, however, the loss is immeasurable.
“My family has been robbed of Ethan — a young man with a smile that could light up a room,” she said. “No parent should ever have to experience this kind of pain because of a university’s failure.”
SOURCE: SKY NEWS
