By Chiara Pollock,Sally Hind

Copyright glasgowlive

The heartbroken family of a Glasgow university student who took his own life on the day of his graduation after being wrongly told he’d failed have demanded to collect his degree at a ceremony.

Ethan Brown’s mum told of her horror at discovering her son’s body in his bedroom as they prepared to leave for his graduation in December last year – three months after Glasgow University told him in error that he did not have the necessary credits to graduate.

A month after his death, his devastated family, from Coatbridge, discovered the 23-year-old geography student had in fact been given the wrong grade and actually achieved a 2:1 honours degree.

Mum Tracy Scott said she wanted to collect Ethan’s degree on his behalf at a future graduation ceremony and yesterday university chiefs confirmed the family’s wish would be granted after apologising for the “tragic error”.

Tracy told our sister title, the Daily Record: “We deserve to have Ethan’s degree. It would be heartbreaking. But he worked hard for it and we should have it. We shouldn’t have to ask for it.”

The mum has accused the university of “repeated incompetence” in the months before her son’s death, saying they had failed to act after he reported mental health problems.

What should have been one of the happiest days turned onto the “worst day ever” when she dressed for her son’s graduation and went to check if he had slept in only to find him he had taken his own life.

The former Coatbridge High School pupil, who had “a smile that would light up the room”, had been due to graduate in June 2024 but the university said an assignment had not been handed in.

Ethan was unable to graduate and the family say the university failed to communicate with him throughout the summer, but he hoped he would be able to graduate in December. In September, he was told he had not been awarded a grade for one course and would not be eligible to graduate from his honours degree.

He took his own life on December 13 last year.

Ethan’s aunt asked the university more questions about his grades, that is when the tragic error came to light.

At a press conference on Tuesday, she said her “clever, hard-working and dedicated” son died “believing he’d failed”.

A report from the university’s investigation into the tragedy stated that there had been “details of deteriorating health and distress”, which could have alerted staff to Ethan’s mental health problems.

The family want to know why the error was not spotted by any university staff, nor identified by two internal exam boards and one external exam board.

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They are now seeking answers alongside lawyer Aamer Anwar, who branded the university’s conduct “shameful” and raised “serious concerns” about the support offered to struggling students.

University chiefs say they believe it was an “isolated” case but admitted a “further shortcoming” involving communications, including the failure to refer Ethan to student support services.

Anwar said: “Tracy and her family welcome the decision of the university to award Ethan Brown his degree and his mother will be advising the university that she will attend the graduation ceremony in honour of her son.

“This is the degree that Ethan was always entitled to. it will be a bittersweet moment when his mother collects the degree. However, it’s important that the university realises this is not the end of the matter. It’s only the beginning.

“We have already been swamped by emails of students and families who say this has happened to them. It’s simply unacceptable that the university persists in gas lighting Tracy and her family to maintain the position that this was only an isolated incident.

“If the university persists in this conduct then we will request for the Scottish government and the crown office to investigate Glasgow University.”

A university spokesman said: “The University is profoundly sorry that Ethan tragically took his own life and understand the deep distress it has caused his family.

“We have indicated to Ethan’s family that we will award Ethan’s degree and will be guided by his family on when and how this happens.”

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