Congratulations on getting your results and on all your hard work this year!
Results day is meant to be a day of celebration where you are able to celebrate your achievements over the last year. Sadly, for some of you Results Day will be a bit different this year. At the moment UCU are taking part in a marking and assessment boycott as part of ongoing industrial action over pay and working conditions. This means that many of you may have missing marks, unmarked work and no classification for your degrees. You may also have concerns about who has marked your work, the feedback you have received and the moderation process. This will understandably cause frustration and concern.
The University has released guidance for any students effected by the Industrial Action Marking Procedures. We also strongly encourage you to contact guildadvice@liverpool.ac.uk to speak to one of our advisors over next steps.
At the Guild we stand in full solidarity with staff who are taking action over their pay and working conditions. We have been in communication with the Vice-Chancellor and members of the senior leadership team at the University to lobby them to meet the demands of the UCU and to apply pressure to national organisations to resolve this dispute. The University must work with and meet with UCU to bring this dispute to an end as soon as possible so that you can all receive the marks you have rightly earned for all your hard work.
If you wish you can also put in a complaint to the university by following the Student Complaint Procedure using this form: StudentComplaintsproforma.docx (live.com) Once completed, please email it to the Head of your School. We also strongly advise you to come and speak to Guild Advice for help and guidance when putting in a complaint.
Below we have also drafted an email template you can send to the Vice-Chancellor and members of the senior leadership team at the university.
Please change the italic section to reflect your own experiences, and the effects the marking boycott has had on you. Feel free to expand and explain the suggested comments, a more personalised email is more effective.
Emails:
Tim Jones (Vice-Chancellor): t.s.jones2@liverpool.ac.uk
Gavin Brown (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education): gmbrown@liverpool.ac.uk
Carol Costello (Director of People and Services): dirps@liverpool.ac.uk
Anthony Hollander (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact) aholla@liverpool.ac.uk
Kevan Ryan (University Secretary): ryank@liverpool.ac.uk
Wiebe van der Hoek (Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Science and Engineering): kbwjf2@liverpool.ac.uk
Fiona Beverage (Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Humanities and Social Sciences): fionbev@liverpool.ac.uk
Louise Kenny (Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Health and Life Sciences): louise.kenny@liverpool.ac.uk
Dear Professor Tim Jones and the senior leadership team,
I am writing to you as a University of Liverpool student over the marking and assessment boycott that is currently being taken by UCU members. I am disappointed that staff in the university have had to take these steps in their fight for better pay and working conditions.
- Because of this boycott I will be graduating without knowing my degree classification
- Progressing to my next year of studies without knowing I have passed my previous year. This may impact my university outcomes as I may not have the knowledge to progress to my next year.)
- This will mean that I cannot get onto my graduate scheme/master's program etc.
As a student I want the dispute over pensions and pay to come to an end. Staff working conditions are our learning conditions and students have had enough. Staff at the university deserve better pay, conditions and students deserve an education system that puts them first and priorities our learning and teaching above making profit. Students deserve for our work to be fully marked by our own lecturers and for our grades to reflect the effort and time we have put in this year. I urge you to demand that UCEA goes back to the negotiation table with the UCU and ensure that this marking boycott comes to, and end and the UCU demands are met.
I hope to hear from you soon with an update on your communications with UCEA, UUK, and UCU in trying to end the dispute.
Sincerely,
[your name]