At a GUCU Branch meeting on 01/05/24 & 03/05/2024 scenarios 2 & 4 were passed
Goldsmiths PGRs stand in full solidarity with GUCU and the MAB. Senior management under Frances Corner is a disastrous force over the university for several years now; the TP being the worst materialisation of this slow destruction so far. Goldsmiths PGRs have both privately and publicly condemned the TP through various channels and directly accused and keep on blaming SMT for their incompetence to lead this institution. PGRs are also in close communication with the Graduate School to raise these problems through all the official routes possible. We have further started conducting pre-legal reviews of our contracts with the university and are prepared to proceed to legal action as needed.
It is crucial to note (and for this branch to fully comprehend) that PGRs are neither students nor workers. In the UK, most PGRs are by default exploited as student-workers, Goldsmiths not being an exception here unfortunately. PGRs pay tuitions to receive supervisory support. Yet PG research is also included in calculations of metrics that secure various financial and ranking resources to the college without payment. Moreover, a great number of PGRs work as GTTs, ALs and RAs, often being the first point of contact between BA/MA students and academic staff, as well as vitality supporting the existence of Goldsmiths. Hence, it is from this ambivalent and precarious standpoint that we would like to be heard in this meeting. We face specific vulnerabilities, as listed below, and we come to the branch for a discussion on how these could be mitigated, if at all.
We of course understand the need to also have a discussion as branch about the impact any exemptions will have on workload and MAB effectiveness. The only red line we bring to this meeting is the importance of safeguarding international students and PGRs. This means at least exempting international PGR Vivas from the MAB. Simply put, if these Vivas do not happen, these PGRs may very likely face deportation. Everything else is up for discussion; we stand in solidarity with academic staff and the last thing we want is to undermine the MAB. We seek the branch’s input on what would be possible/preferable from the 4 scenarios we have identified below (or anything other members consider relevant).
There is concern that a MAB means delays in Upgrades and Vivas, and if TP goes through, PGRs will be stuck (even being forced to quit) as:
Not enough specialised supervisors will be left to help us prepare for these examinations (this is not a 1st year exam paper that can be marked by just anyone).
Not enough staff will be left in general to make up Upgrade/Viva panels to be completed within 4-5 months after MAB stops, causing further delays if not dead ends.
Meanwhile we are still liable to pay fees with no information from the university on extensions (without having to pay for extra years) and while a lot of us are also casualised GTTs/ALs/RAs that will be getting wages deducted for participating in action/not filling in the opt-out form, per union guidance.
These issues are further compounded for international students, who face hostile Home Office progress checks and will not be meeting progress goals if they don’t upgrade. Graduate visas also have strict timelines. Again, meanwhile they will be paying visa fees/NHS surcharges on top of the extortionate international fees.
We are also concerned about potential transfers: we would love to say that none of us want to leave Goldsmiths, but the college has been sinking for several years now and staff members keep on understandably jumping off this shipwreck as they can. This condition has had a huge impact on our wellbeing (as we understand is also the case for remaining members of staff). However, please consider the added financial precariousness we face in our roles.
Some PGRs are already actively planning to transfer elsewhere to finish their degrees, while others know they will unfortunately have to do so soon after the MAB finishes regardless of outcome. This is as the TP has already destroyed some departments at Goldsmiths (on top of previous restructure), even if everything stops now. Many supervisors have already taken VSS and/or are planning to leave the university regardless of whether we manage to stop the TP. To say or think that PGR transfers to other institutions will not happen is extremely naive. Transfers are already in their first stage, as some PGRs have started talking with other institutions on an individual basis. This is the very sad but true reality. This branch, however, can still collectively protect these members and not let these negotiations proceed only individually (this is part of our discussions with the Graduate School too).
We know from past students’ experiences that attempting to transfer institutions without having completed an Upgrade is close to impossible – in most such cases PGRs are forced to start their research from scratch, including paying relevant tuitions, which in many cases is nonviable – a lot of us will be in that position come September, especially those of us that were due to upgrade in May/June, having no idea when the upgrades will be rescheduled for.
With all these in mind, we recognise the following possible scenarios:
Scenario 1
International students’ Vivas are exempt from MAB.
Scenario 2
International students’ Upgrades and Vivas are exempt from MAB.
Scenario 3
Upgrades and Vivas originally due to happen in May/June are exempt from MAB ONLY WHEN we know supervisors or examiners are in scope of redundancy or are indeed leaving (VSS).
Scenario 4
All Upgrades and Vivas originally due to happen in May/June are exempt from MAB.
Scenario 5
Exemptions only for international students (so either scenario 1 or 2).