Parents of Cornish student push for new law on university suicide rates
Harry Armstrong-Evans' parents want institutions to reveal the data, after their son's death
The parents of a university student from Cornwall, who took his own life, are calling for a new law in his memory.
Alice and Rupert Armstrong-Evans, who live near Launceston, want the government to adopt a new piece of legislation, which would mean all universities have to publish their student suicide rates and which faculty they were studying at.
Their son, Harry Armstrong-Evans, was studying for a degree in Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Exeter when he died in June 2021. In the January, after studying in lockdown, he had failed some of his penultimate exams.
His mum and dad are pushing for 'Harry's Law', that would give the Department for Education the powers to investigate, intervene and place universities into 'special measures' where a specific institution’s suicide rate exceeds that of the national average.
It would also state that universities do provide a "duty of care" to all undergraduate students.
Harry's family have called for the legislation at the start of a two-day inquest into their son's death.
Harry's father Rupert Armstrong-Evans, 72, said: "It's obviously an absolutely appalling thing that you think couldn't possibly happen to your own children. Our reason for going public on this is to try and stop it from ever happening again.
"And it's completely unnecessary. If it's out in the open and people come together to come up with the best solution, I'm quite sure it can be overcome.
"If you go to a local council recycling centre, they post up on a board outside how many days it's been since they've had an accident and surely our children deserve better than that".
Rupert and Alice say they had been in touch with the university following their son's efforts to reach out to his tutor – after what they believe was an "anomalously low grade that had scuppered his chances of further post-graduate study".
The inquest opened at Truro Coroner's Court on Thursday 6th October, hearing evidence from Harry's tutor.
Matthew Browning, an associate professor of astrophysics who held weekly tutorial meetings with Harry but had no role in deciding final grades, said meetings – both in person and online - would start by asking students 'how their weeks' went' and then discuss any difficulties the student was having.
Professor Browning said Harry was often 'shy and withdrawn' but he had no 'significant concerns' and had, in the past, referred other pupils to support services where he felt necessary.
His clearest memory of Harry was from week 10, in Mid-March 2021, where they sat outside removing masks and taking turns with mock job interviews – where Harry did an 'incredible job' for someone shy and withdrawn - and they regularly discussed what Harry might do after university, something he was still undecided about.
When concerns were raised by Harry's family, Professor Browning did escalate it and ask for advice but was unsure if he could communicate with the family without Harry's explicit permission because he was an adult.
Mr Browning says he told the parents about the support available for Harry but did not want to break any confidentiality in his response to them.
He was questioned by Harry's mother and father who were invited to help inform the inquest.
Rupert and Alice Armstrong-Evans are due to give evidence on Friday 7th October.