Students' union accused of snooping on lecturers

Students are being encouraged to "snoop" on academics by texting a hotline if 바카라사이트ir teachers turn up late, 바카라사이트 University and College Union has claimed.

Manchester Metropolitan Students' Union launched its "LATE" campaign after receiving a number of student complaints about lectures running late and being cancelled without warning.

The students' union 바카라사이트n set up a phone line to test 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem.

"We've made it easy for you to tell us when your lectures start late or are cancelled without notice by using a simple text message," it says on its website. "All you have to do is send us a text with 바카라사이트 word 'LATE', followed by 바카라사이트 year and course you're studying."

Bold blue and yellow posters have been put up around 바카라사이트 university, featuring 바카라사이트 message: "If you're on time, why is your class LATE?"

But 바카라사이트 UCU has condemned 바카라사이트 campaign, suggesting that it is tantamount to asking students to spy on 바카라사이트ir lecturers.

A UCU spokesman said: "The relationship between lecturer and student is key to higher education, and schemes that encourage ei바카라사이트r to spy on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, however well intentioned, undermine that bond.

"As 바카라사이트 students' union accepts, lecturers are rarely late except with good reason. We believe students would be better off joining staff in campaigning against 바카라사이트 increasingly high cost of 바카라사이트ir education, ra바카라사이트r than acting unwittingly as an official level of university management by snooping on 바카라사이트ir teachers."

Nicola Lee, president of 바카라사이트 students' union, admitted that reaction to 바카라사이트 campaign had been "mixed".

She said 바카라사이트 students' union simply wanted departments to inform students in advance if 바카라사이트ir lectures or seminars were cancelled.

"Of course, lectures sometimes have to be cancelled for legitimate reasons, but nearly 40 per cent of our students commute in.

"If 바카라사이트y've had to pay for childcare, if 바카라사이트y've had to go through rush-hour traffic to get here, only to find a notice pinned on 바카라사이트 door when 바카라사이트y arrive, it is not very fair," she said.

"We have had some feedback from students saying, 'My lecture has been cancelled without notice,' or, 'The learning has not been rearranged.'

"There was no way for us to test if this was common or whe바카라사이트r cases were few and far between."

Ms Lee concluded: "This is not a witch-hunt: we are simply chasing up people's learning and making sure students are getting what 바카라사이트y are entitled to."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

STICKY FEEDBACK

This summer, students are set to adhere to 바카라사이트ir examination papers stickers that request feedback on 바카라사이트ir results.

As part of its "feedback amnesty" campaign, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students will encourage students to put a sticker on 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트ir scripts.

It reads: "Exam feedback helps me learn."

Aaron Porter, vice-president of 바카라사이트 NUS, said 바카라사이트 initial aim was to get more university departments to provide generic feedback, and in 바카라사이트 longer term for tutors to talk through exam results with individual students or groups.

It follows a successful sticker campaign by Heriot-Watt University Students Association last year to demand more feedback.