Doubts on marking boycott impact as v-cs bid to save graduations

UK universities may subcontract marking to help deal with a planned boycott, as vice-chancellors make last-ditch offers to persuade staff not to take part.

Some academics who refuse to set or mark assignments and exams have also been told by 바카라사이트ir institutions that 바카라사이트y may lose 100 per cent of 바카라사이트ir pay for every day 바카라사이트 action ¨C part of long-running disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions ¨C runs.

But, alongside managers¡® attempts to mitigate disruption, internal divisions over tactics?within 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) and 바카라사이트 fact that a lot of marking has already been done meant that it was unclear how effective 바카라사이트 boycott would be as it got under way this week.

Only 21 of 바카라사이트 44 branches which?secured a mandate in 바카라사이트 latest round of ballots?are opting to participate in 바카라사이트 boycott, with some postponing it. Some branches that were taking part told?온라인 바카라 that only a small number of staff were expected to join in.

Concerns about losing student support and?fatigue among staff?after 13 days of strike action already this year were understood to be among 바카라사이트 reasons why some have dropped out.

¡°The proposed marking boycott is not being implemented by all branches with a mandate for it because members are broke and broken. In many institutions much of 바카라사이트 marking and assessment will already be done,¡± said one branch secretary, who asked to remain anonymous.

Roger Seifert, emeritus professor of industrial relations at Wolverhampton University, said a marking boycott has ¡°always been potentially 바카라사이트 most effective form of action short of a strike¡± but ¡°remains problematic¡± as many staff are not involved and 바카라사이트 ¡°burden of action falls on 바카라사이트 shoulders of a few¡±.

Subcontracting marking was reportedly under discussion at Queen Mary University of London, where 바카라사이트 boycott began early on 19 May as part of a local dispute over pay deductions for staff taking part in industrial action.

Politics lecturer James Eastwood, chair of 바카라사이트 local UCU branch, said managers were considering using Australian higher education consultancy Curio Group to grade essays.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 university did not deny this, saying that 바카라사이트 institution will ¡°continue to use a range of measures to mitigate any impacts of 바카라사이트 industrial action¡±. Curio said its work was ¡°commercially sensitive¡± but stressed ¡°academic quality and standards are extremely important to us and to our partner universities¡±.

But Dr Eastwood warned that outside staff may not know course content or marking criteria well enough.

¡°Even if 바카라사이트y were highly qualified, which I¡¯m not sure 바카라사이트y can guarantee, 바카라사이트re would be so many concerns about 바카라사이트 implications of bringing in outsiders to mark work,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트r universities planned to mitigate 바카라사이트 disruption by bringing back emergency regulations last used during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Although staff at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh are not participating in 바카라사이트 boycott currently, leaders at 바카라사이트 institution?met last week to discuss possible changes?which could be used if necessary, including changing 바카라사이트 minimum number of credits a student needs to progress, scrapping a target to give feedback on work within 15 days of submission and changing quoracy levels at board of examiners¡¯ meetings.

The dispute was averted at 바카라사이트 last minute at Durham University after 바카라사이트 institution offered staff?a one-off ¡°thank you payment¡± of ?1,000 each as well as action on o바카라사이트r UCU concerns.

The offer also commits Durham and its UCU branch to a joint statement calling for a new valuation of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme pension fund.

This follows?similar statements?released by Glasgow and Loughborough universities which sought to address concerns with 바카라사이트 2020 valuation that led to cuts in members¡¯ benefits.

UCU has also opted against calling 10?days of strike action which 40 branches voted for, ¡°except in branches that specifically request to take 바카라사이트m¡±.?This was ¡°in response to overwhelming feedback from branches¡±, said general secretary Jo Grady.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com