UNIVERSITY lecturers are getting death threats from international students who have received bad grades.
Victoria Police are investigating one case at a state campus after an email was sent to a lecturer stating: "I will kill u and your family."
It is understood the email was sent from a student who was given a low mark at the end of last semester and warned the lecturer to expect an attack on university grounds.
Four staff members from three Victorian universities told the Sunday Herald Sun threats against tertiary staff by international students were becoming more common.
Cars had been defaced with graffiti, teachers' houses vandalised and staff physically intimidated and stalked by students.
One source said universities were reluctant to act on threats because international students were full fee-paying "cash cows".
They are required to pay fees in advance and usually spend between $14,000 and $35,000 a year for a bachelor of arts and more for other degrees such as medicine, according to Australian Government estimates.
More than 151,000 international students were enrolled in different degrees at universities in Victoria last year.
Clinical psychologist Lisa Warren said she dealt with up to 15 cases involving university staff last year.
Dr Warren said the majority of the threats were made by email or on social networking sites by international and local students.
In the incident being probed by police, the emailer wrote: "Why did u give the f---ing low marks? I will kill u and your family next year 2012.
"I promise i will kill u excluding any cost, believe me."
The victim, who did not want to be named, told the Sunday Herald Sun he was shocked and afraid the threat would be carried out.
"I have colleagues in the rooms next to me and if someone was to come in waving a gun it is a threat against all of us," he said.
Police have contacted the Immigration Department about the threat, the victim said.
Dr Warren said in severe cases victims of threats could be traumatised for life.
"Most of the time it is just a blunt and ineffective way of communication, but anything that suggests the student has personal information, such as where the victim's house is or where their child goes to school, is worrying," Dr Warren said.
