- What is happening at my university?
Since Wednesday 23 November 2022, members of the University and College Union (UCU) in around 140 universities have been pursuing Action Short of a Strike (ASOS).This includes not covering for absent colleagues or not working overtime.
Since Thursday 20 April, this also includes a Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) and action short of a strike (ASOS) – we are currently not on strike. This means that the rest of our teaching and support for students can continue as usual.
- How will the MAB impact me?
Our members won’t be generating or uploading any grades or feedback through formal channels like the VLE or Turnitin, or taking part in any centralised college assessment processes. This includes not participating in exam invigilation, exam board attendance and administrative work relating to exam boards. However, during this time students should continue to submit work as normal, or to request extensions or deferrals as you otherwise would do if experiencing any extenuating circumstances. Union members taking part in the action intend to engage with your submissions as soon as the action is over.
3. What is ASOS? What is a MAB?
ASOS is short for Action Short of a Strike, and it refers to a list of tools we as a union can use to put pressure on SMT. This now includes an assessment boycott (MAB), in addition to other things like not covering up for absent colleagues or not working overtime. An assessment boycott does not mean that you will not receive marking for the work you do, but rather that there will be a delay. An assessment boycott does not mean that you will not receive support and guidance from your teachers in GUCU, who remain committed to your learning, to your growth and to your wellbeing.
4. How will my teachers support my progression during the MAB?
We want this action to hit university bosses, not students. In order to do this, members of the Goldsmiths UCU branch (GUCU) are committed to providing ongoing support to students throughout the action. GUCU members are committed to being responsive to students’ individual circumstances and will take all action possible within the bounds of the boycott to ensure that no students face detriment.
As part of this we commit to:
- Provide informal feedback to students that occurs as part of ongoing teaching during the boycott;
- Support applications for further study/research/funding commenting on expected grades/performance where possible and appropriate;
- Making sure any student depending on receiving their grades in order to access funding, or for the purposes of applying for further study or jobs is fully supported;
- Making sure that international students whose visa status may be dependent on receiving grades are fully supported;
- Writing support letters advising funders/selection panels, and giving indications of students’ past and expected performance where necessary and appropriate.
5. Why is Goldsmiths UCU doing this?
UCU members in around 140 UK higher education institutions are undertaking a MAB because university bosses are refusing to commit to measures to address casualisation, race, gender and disability pay gaps, and excessive workloads. Goldsmiths’ own data shows that the median ethnicity pay gap at Goldsmiths has increased from 16.4% in 2021, to 17.7% by March 2022. This is completely unacceptable.
You may not know this, but 48% of teaching staff at Goldsmiths are on some kind of precarious, temporary contract, and women and BAME workers are overrepresented in this category. Casualised staff are routinely treated as second class workers and denied their employment rights, left vulnerable to exploitative practices, and prevented from being able to plan a professional or personal life. Many of our members, and many of your teachers, are subsisting on multiple ‘gig’ teaching jobs, regularly working unpaid overtime, not knowing if they will have work a few months down the line. We cannot accept it, and have no choice but to take collective action against it.
6. What about students?
We acknowledge that students are going through a very difficult time right now. We know that the cuts to student services imposed by management last year have hugely impacted students’ learning and students’ mental health. The loss of colleagues in administration and student services has meant that the university is now considerably less able to respond to student needs, as we have seen with the disastrous handling of Extenuating Conditions requests by the School Hubs.
We acknowledge that this action might heighten the worry and anxiety many of you are already feeling right now. Pursuing industrial action at this time was an extremely hard decision to take, but one that we believe was absolutely necessary. In doing this, we are not just fighting for fair working conditions, because our working conditions are your learning conditions. We also want a university where teachers and administrative support workers are able to give each student the time and attention they need, and are paid fairly to do so.
- How long will this last for?
It is our greatest hope that university bosses will decide to meet our demands ASAP, so that the negative impact on students can be minimised. However, the responsibility lies with them to do so and stop further industrial action. If university bosses do not cooperate, or if they take punitive measures such as withholding our pay, we want to be honest with you – there may be more disruption to come.
- How will this affect me personally?
Our Members are currently boycotting all undergraduate and postgraduate assessments, which means that at the moment you will not be given any grades or formal feedback through the VLE or Turnitin. This will be the case for all summative assessments. However, this does not mean you will never get formally assessed: you will be given your formal feedback and grades once the MAB is over. How soon that will be, depends wholly on the employer working with the union and meeting our demands.
Teaching will carry on as scheduled, but, as our members are working only to contract hours and not doing any unpaid overtime, it might take them longer than usual to reply to your emails.
…if I am an international student?
If you are an international student, and are concerned about how this action could affect your immigration status or funding please ask your lecturers to get in touch with the union branch. We want to reassure you that we have absolutely no intention of jeopardising your ability to stay in the UK and continue your studies.
…if my work is practice-based?
For students of practice-based modules, your teacher may see your work and make notes but they will not give you any formal feedback or grades until the action is over.
…if I need my marks to go on to further study?
If you need marking to go on to further study, your teachers can write letters of reference and support for you. However, it should be noted that these will not include your marks.
…If I am due to graduate this year?
We do not aim to affect your ability to graduate. However, this may be a knock-on effect of not receiving your grades if university bosses do not negotiate meaningfully with workers.
…If I am a PhD student?
Vivas and Upgrade Vivas are not exempt from the assessment boycott, so if you are scheduled to have your viva this will be postponed.
9. I still have some worries about the action. Who can I talk to?
If you have any worries or urgent queries, we encourage you to talk to those among your lecturers who are involved in the action, and who remain committed to supporting your wellbeing and learning through these difficult times.