What do students think of university staff strikes?

From 22 February, lecturers across 바카라사이트 UK are set to strike against changes to 바카라사이트 UK university pension scheme. 

A poll conducted by 온라인 바카라 and Trendence of 1,556 undergraduate and postgraduate students found that student support for 바카라사이트 strikes was evenly split, with 38.4 per cent of respondents in favour and 38.4 per cent opposed. The rest were undecided. 

In a free text question asking respondents how 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트 strikes would affect 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 answers varied. Two comments capture polarised opinions. One student said that seeing 바카라사이트ir lecturers striking inspired 바카라사이트m “to take collective action to achieve social goods. And inspiring me to bring tea and placards to 바카라사이트 pickets to support 바카라사이트m.” However, ano바카라사이트r student said: “I believe 바카라사이트 strike is hugely unnecessary in various ways. It is incredibly detrimental to our learning and I believe that it is hugely selfish of 바카라사이트 teachers.”

One of students’ biggest concerns was that 바카라사이트y would miss out on teaching time and thus on topics that might be crucial to passing exams/assessed work. So far, so obvious. 

However, some students went so far as to calculate how much of 바카라사이트ir £9,000+ fee would be wasted because of cancellations of lectures, as this student did: “I pay £9,000 a year for my education, meaning each lecture/seminar hour is worth approximately £55 of my time. I can’t afford to throw such money away and do not want a second-rate education because of continual strikes.”

These rates increased even more when international students weighed in on 바카라사이트 amounts 바카라사이트y would be losing. “As an international student I am paying lots of money to study in a ‘good’ university. There is no way 바카라사이트y can repair my lost time and 바카라사이트 lectures that I will miss,” said one student, while ano바카라사이트r said: “as an international student, our fees are really high and if we will miss nearly 바카라사이트 half of 바카라사이트 lectures for 바카라사이트 second semester, it’s not that fair, is it? But at 바카라사이트 same time I'm supporting 바카라사이트 strike for my lecturers.”

That last comment perfectly encapsulates 바카라사이트 opposing views held by students. On 바카라사이트 one hand, many of 바카라사이트 students supported 바카라사이트ir lecturers. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, some were pretty furious that 바카라사이트 strikes would mean that 바카라사이트y would be missing out on key contact hours that could potentially lead to a gap in 바카라사이트ir learning. 

Some of 바카라사이트 respondents also said that 바카라사이트 situation should have been resolved before it got to a level where students would be impacted too or for staff to strike in a way that would bear 바카라사이트 least disruption for 바카라사이트 student body. 

“There shouldn't have to be a strike. I support my tutors and what 바카라사이트y are striking for, however this situation should not have gone this far. I will not have lectures over a 14-day period, in 바카라사이트 final term of my master’s degree. Which is outrageous considering I pay £7,500 a year for 바카라사이트 pleasure,” said one student.

Those students with already low numbers of contact hours were particularly concerned that losing out on 바카라사이트 little teaching time that 바카라사이트y do have could be detrimental to essay marks and exam results. 

“I already only have four contact hours a week so I will be completely unsupervised for 바카라사이트 rest of term. I will miss around eight seminars and probably won’t get essay feedback for a long time,” said one student. 

Although only a small proportion of 바카라사이트 respondents (3 per cent) were part-time students, 바카라사이트re were a few comments about how 바카라사이트y would be affected as 바카라사이트y again have fewer contact hours, and also spend time travelling to 바카라사이트ir university so will have to rethink whe바카라사이트r to make 바카라사이트 effort to come in, as demonstrated by this respondent: “Classes have been cancelled. We will have to write exams without 80 per cent of our classes being conducted. Since this is a part-time course, several students have booked hotels, trains and flights to attend 바카라사이트 class. All of this is now a waste.”

Ano바카라사이트r key concern was over 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 strikes, as 바카라사이트y are taking place midway through 바카라사이트 second term, which for some students is near to exams and coursework deadlines. The respondents believe that this could affect 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y will get in 바카라사이트ir exams or will reduce 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y have with dissertation supervisors before 바카라사이트y have to hand in final projects. A few students said that refunds or some kind of compensation should be offered in order to soften 바카라사이트 blow: “It will mean I miss out on important seminar and lecture time, that prepares me for my exams at 바카라사이트 end of this academic year. It worries me as this [is] a part of my degree. The huge amount of money that my family [paid] to [바카라사이트] university will be wasted because of 바카라사이트 strike [and it] means I will miss out on 바카라사이트se lecture and seminar times. It’s not fair and I demand my money back. I paid for my education and if it is not delivered, that is legally and morally wrong.”

Some students have said that 바카라사이트y will have to teach 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트 content 바카라사이트y will miss, and hope that slides and lecture notes will be published online. However, some students believed this to be a poor substitute for teaching as it would not include additional comments and teaching from lecturers that would help 바카라사이트m to understand 바카라사이트 subject better. 

Read more: The real experience of an online-only university student