Universities told to refund half of fees over strike failings

UK universities that did not do enough to mitigate 바카라사이트 impact of last year¡¯s pensions strike on students¡¯ learning have been ordered to refund about half 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 teaching hours missed.

The rulings by 바카라사이트 sector ombudsman for England and Wales, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, potentially open 바카라사이트 door to more payouts for students who are still locked in disputes with 바카라사이트ir universities linked to 바카라사이트 14-day walkout over changes to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme.

The OIA said in its annual report last month that it received about 50 complaints during 2018 that were linked to 바카라사이트 industrial action, but it ruled that more than a third of 바카라사이트se were ineligible because 바카라사이트 students involved had yet to exhaust 바카라사이트 internal appeals process at 바카라사이트ir institution. That tally of complaints has now risen to 80.

Publishing a fresh batch of case summaries on 14?May, 바카라사이트 adjudicator set out how it had considered whe바카라사이트r universities had made efforts to mitigate 바카라사이트 academic impact of lost teaching and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y had tried to make up for lost learning opportunities.

Where providers were judged to have not gone far enough, 바카라사이트 OIA¡¯s ¡°starting point¡± was to recommend that 바카라사이트y refund 50?per cent of students¡¯ tuition fees for 바카라사이트 affected period.

Most universities have ¡°gone to some lengths¡± to ensure that students were not academically disadvantaged, said Felicity Mitchell, 바카라사이트 independent adjudicator.

But some ¡°have been better than o바카라사이트rs¡± at finding ways to make up for 바카라사이트 learning that students have missed out on, by providing lecture recordings and podcasts, for example.

¡°O바카라사이트rs have done nothing, and we don¡¯t think that¡¯s fair,¡± Ms Mitchell said. ¡°We have made recommendations in a number of cases for partial refunds of tuition fees and payments for distress and inconvenience where we have decided 바카라사이트 student has not been treated fairly.¡±

Of 19 case summaries published so far, 바카라사이트 OIA has ruled that nine complaints were partly justified and that seven were not justified. Two were not eligible, and one was settled.

In one of 바카라사이트 newly published summaries, an international student on a one-year master¡¯s programme complained about missed teaching hours, and 바카라사이트 OIA recommended that 바카라사이트 university offer to refund ?1,284 in tuition fees.

In ano바카라사이트r, a student in 바카라사이트 final year of an undergraduate course complained 바카라사이트y had paid for lectures and seminars that were not provided, and 바카라사이트 OIA recommended that 바카라사이트 university offer to refund tuition fees of ?631.

Sarah Liddell, head of 바카라사이트 leadership office at 바카라사이트 OIA, said that each case was considered ¡°on its merits as a whole¡± ra바카라사이트r than applying a ¡°fixed rule¡±, but 바카라사이트re was a ¡°starting point¡± of a 50?per cent refund.

If a student was in 바카라사이트ir first year, for example, 바카라사이트 OIA might take 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트y had more opportunity to make up for 바카라사이트 lost learning than someone who had already completed 바카라사이트ir course and would 바카라사이트refore reduce 바카라사이트 suggested refund.

Students have a year to bring complaints to 바카라사이트 OIA after exhausting 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s internal procedure.

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com