Last Wednesday, Hertford College accidentally shared the details of this year’s 200 unsuccessful applicants in their rejection emails to candidates.
Commiseration emails from the college’s senior tutor Charlotte Brewer included an attachment containing the rejection letters of every unsuccessful candidate. The letters detailed applicants’ names, subjects, and addresses.
The error quickly became public knowledge, due to the college’s wide scope of applicants from around the world. Within minutes of the mistake, administrators emailed the candidates again with an apology. They also asked recipients to delete the original email because of the personal information it contained.
Hertford’s principal, political economist Will Hutton, said: “We would like to apologise to all applicants affected by this mistake for any distress caused. We are now taking steps to make sure this type of error involving personal information does not happen again.”
The parent of one unsuccessful candidate told The Telegraph: “It is disappointing enough to be rejected after three days of intensive interviews without having your rejection letter splashed all over the world to all and sundry.”
Senior Tutor of Hertford College Charlotte Brewer was contacted for comment.
