Anglesey student's 'totally unnecessary' death must lead to new law for universities

A bereaved mum has called for better care for students after her daughter took her own life. Mared Foulkes was studying pharmacy at Cardiff University when she was sent an exam result by email.

It said the 21-year-old student had failed one exam with 39 per cent but it did not mention her resat exam which she passed with a mark of 61 per cent. Hours later, she took her own life and was found dead near Britannia Bridge on July 8, 2020.

At an Caernarfon inquest in October 2021 acting senior coroner for north west Wales Katie Sutherland concluded Mared had intended death to be the outcome of her actions and delivered a suicide verdict. She issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report as a result of the "complicated and confusing" way the university communicated exam results.

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Now Mared's parents Iona and Glyngwyn Foulkes, of Menai Bridge, are supporting a call for a new law obliging universities to establish an "opt-in" student consent procedure, thus allowing the university to contact parents or guardians at time of mental health or wellbeing crisis.

Mrs Foulkes told North Wales Live: "Mared was very studious even though she was quiet and reserved. She was very determined." She volunteered as a trainee pharmacist in the Philippines and worked locally.

But to receive the information by email that should couldn't continue to the third year of her four-year Masters course was "devastating", said Mrs Foulkes. "Mared was a very quiet, shy, young woman and I think she was very embarrassed and ashamed by that," she added.

"There was nothing in the email to state where to get support or that ''If you had such and such a mark please don't panic, we'll come back to you' or 'Please come back to us immediately" or 'They could verify the mark within a few hours'.

"There was nothing. Just 'FAIL'. I think they should have more stringent regulations when releasing exam results," Mrs Foulkes said.

Mrs Foulkes is also involved with a support group of bereaved parents called "For the 100". She said: "We have 100 students dying every year within universities. We didn't realise (it was that many).

"In the news you hear of tragic car accidents but you only occasionally hear about students. It's because they don't want the general public to know because it's bad publicity and students wouldn't want to go to that university ."

However, while a new law is not yet in place, a report by lawyers and others, supporting bereaved families likes the Foulkes, has found Cardiff University has taken steps to change things since Mared's death. The report, called "Student Suicide Prevention in Higher Education: Some observations from Wales", states: "Encouragingly Cardiff University have introduced the ‘Trusted Contact’ procedure.

"A trusted contact is someone the University can contact if there are serious concerns about a student’s health or wellbeing. Importantly, in exceptional circumstances, where there is grave concern about the wellbeing of the student, the trusted contact can be contacted without the express consent of the student."

Cardiff University's response

Cardiff University did not refer to a proposed new law but said students get "clear communication about correct results" now.

A spokesperson said: "We have put in place detailed change...The changes were reported to our regulator, HEFCW (now Medr), and to the Charity Commission.

"The action plan has been subject to two independent internal audits, the most recent of which in September 2024 provided substantial assurance that results processing activities are designed and operating effectively to ensure students receive clear communication of the correct results in a timely and efficient manner."

The spokesperson said it has written to the Foulkes family to invite them to meet its new Vice-Chancellor and its Academic Registrar who can discuss and provide a detailed update to any questions the family has regarding the implementation of changes made.

Cardiff University also said it had to balance students' and families' needs. On a proposed system where a student opts out if they don't want their parents to be informed of any personal issues, a spokesperson said: "We understand and respect the call for the introduction of an opt-out system for universities.

"However, universities need to balance the legitimate needs of parents to be informed about their children while respecting the rights, privacy and wishes of adult students who may - for a variety of legitimate and complex reasons - not want their personal information to be shared with their parents.

"For some students, a decision made at enrolment in favour of opt-in may well change by the time an issue presents which may be shared with a parent or other trusted contact."