I graduated from the University of Bristol and have unfortunately witnessed my fair share of student suicides amongst my cohort. The University is extremely notorious for its poor mental health support and complete disdain towards students’ well-being, and it’s no surprise that it was once labelled as the RG uni with one of the highest suicides rates nationally. I was once told by a staff member that I was feigning my mental health challenges despite the fact that I had a medical certificate written by my consultant psychiatrist about my condition. I’ve also spoken to Natasha’s mother, following another student’s suicide and after going through a personally difficult time with my mental health during lockdown and was absolutely appalled by the lengths that the University went just to brush this horrific incident under the carpet. Really hope she gets the justice she deserves.
Too many unis really haven’t joined the 21st century when it comes to mental health and disability. They might pay lip service to it by having Disability Advisory Services, counselling etc, all of which is good right up until the academic departments like Exams Schools, faculties (and Colleges in Oxbridge) can overrule and/or ignore advice and recommendations from student welfare.
If workplaces have to make reasonable adjustments to make working manageable for disabled employees, then why are universities allowed to minimise disability, ignore exam access arrangements etc. to the extent that a student has a complete breakdown or worst of all, becomes suicidal?
Instead of appealing, Bristol should pause and actually learn lessons from this tragedy.
2 comments
I graduated from the University of Bristol and have unfortunately witnessed my fair share of student suicides amongst my cohort. The University is extremely notorious for its poor mental health support and complete disdain towards students’ well-being, and it’s no surprise that it was once labelled as the RG uni with one of the highest suicides rates nationally. I was once told by a staff member that I was feigning my mental health challenges despite the fact that I had a medical certificate written by my consultant psychiatrist about my condition. I’ve also spoken to Natasha’s mother, following another student’s suicide and after going through a personally difficult time with my mental health during lockdown and was absolutely appalled by the lengths that the University went just to brush this horrific incident under the carpet. Really hope she gets the justice she deserves.
Too many unis really haven’t joined the 21st century when it comes to mental health and disability. They might pay lip service to it by having Disability Advisory Services, counselling etc, all of which is good right up until the academic departments like Exams Schools, faculties (and Colleges in Oxbridge) can overrule and/or ignore advice and recommendations from student welfare.
If workplaces have to make reasonable adjustments to make working manageable for disabled employees, then why are universities allowed to minimise disability, ignore exam access arrangements etc. to the extent that a student has a complete breakdown or worst of all, becomes suicidal?
Instead of appealing, Bristol should pause and actually learn lessons from this tragedy.