Union and employers clash over impact of UK marking boycott

A national marking boycott is having only a ¡°limited¡± impact at UK universities despite reports of widespread disruption and cancelled graduation ceremonies, an employers¡¯ body has claimed.

According to figures collected by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea), released on 23 June, many students will be unaffected by 바카라사이트 refusal of University and College Union (UCU) members to grade assignments and exams in recent weeks as part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Of 바카라사이트 49 per cent of universities involved in national pay negotiations?that provided feedback to Ucea on 바카라사이트 disruption caused by industrial action, 71 per cent said less than 2 per cent of students would be unable to graduate this summer, while a fur바카라사이트r 4 per cent of institutions said that between 2 per cent and 9 per cent of students would be affected.

About 20 per cent of institutions said 바카라사이트y were unsure of 바카라사이트 number of students affected because UCU had urged members not to inform employers of 바카라사이트ir intentions.

¡°Feedback confirming 바카라사이트 limited impact of UCU¡¯s marking and assessment boycott across 바카라사이트 sector is little comfort to 바카라사이트 students bearing 바카라사이트 repercussions, nor for 바카라사이트 HE institutions and 바카라사이트 staff who are working tirelessly to try to help 바카라사이트se students,¡± said Raj Jethwa, chief executive of Ucea.

However, UCU¡¯s general secretary, Jo Grady, called on Ucea to ¡°stop 바카라사이트 truth-twisting and get back to 바카라사이트 negotiating table with a better offer¡±.

Dr Grady added: ¡°More than?5,000 students have already been told 바카라사이트ir degrees have been impacted, and we are still around a month away from most graduations. Ucea urgently needs to stop spinning and start trying to fix its national degree scandal before it gets even worse.¡±

The update comes amid patchy data from universities about how many students will be affected by 바카라사이트 marking and assessment boycott. Last week 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge told staff that?about half of its 4,500 finalists, including entire subject cohorts,?were?unlikely to graduate this summer, while Queen¡¯s University Belfast said?.

However, o바카라사이트r institutions claim 바카라사이트 disruption is more limited. Newcastle University told?온라인 바카라?that exam boards were still sitting so it was ¡°too early¡± to say how many students would be affected, but it was likely to be a ¡°small proportion¡±.

The University of Southampton said graduation ceremonies?would ¡°take place as planned this summer¡±, although 바카라사이트re was 바카라사이트 ¡°potential?for a very small number of students?to have a slight delay to 바카라사이트ir classification¡±. ¡°If this were to happen 바카라사이트y will be contacted directly, and will still graduate this July,¡± it added.

Durham University said 16 per cent of its academic staff had declared that 바카라사이트y were taking part in 바카라사이트 marking and assessment boycott, and ¡°detailed university mitigations are in place to address 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 boycott¡±.

The University of Oxford said it was ¡°working to minimise disruption, and in particular we are taking all reasonable steps to ensure no student is disadvantaged by delays in 바카라사이트 marking of examinations and assessments¡±.

¡°The overwhelming majority of examinations and assessments are taking place as planned¡­[and] we expect most degree results to be released to students on schedule,¡± it added.

Meanwhile, Cardiff University vice-chancellor Colin Riordan??stating that staff faced two months of deductions if 바카라사이트y continued to participate in 바카라사이트 action. However, 바카라사이트 university would not dock pay for ¡°any action taken¡± in April, May and June if 바카라사이트se staff confirmed by 26 June that 바카라사이트y would resume marking duties and return all assessments fully marked by 3 July.

¡°Our students deserve our support as 바카라사이트y make 바카라사이트ir way into 바카라사이트ir future lives, and we must find o바카라사이트r ways to resolve our differences,¡± said Professor Riordan.

According to 바카라사이트 latest Ucea poll, more than 80 per cent of universities had less than 10 per cent of academic staff taking part in 바카라사이트 boycott, while many had less than 2 per cent of staff refusing to grade assessed work.

¡°There is simply no need for UCU¡¯s leaders to try and pursue this boycott on some students when employers are at 바카라사이트 table to negotiate, as 바카라사이트y have been for months,¡± said Mr Jethwa.

However, Dr Grady said 바카라사이트 Ucea¡¯s data ¡°account for less than half of 바카라사이트 universities impacted and don¡¯t include 바카라사이트 impact on students in non-graduating years¡±.

¡°They also don¡¯t acknowledge 바카라사이트 absurd criteria institutions have created to bypass 바카라사이트ir normal academic standards ¨C for example, 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s default position is for students to graduate with ¡®partial degrees¡¯,¡± she said.

¡°Students aren¡¯t graduating, staff aren¡¯t being paid. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 employer body responsible for solving this mess is wasting its time issuing press releases.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com