Students hit by a marking boycott by lecturers are warned they could lose their university place if they insist their work is graded properly
- Students have seen many lectures and tutorial groups cancelled due to strikes
Students facing a marking boycott by lecturers have been warned they could lose their university place and funding if they insist work is graded properly.
Undergraduates at Nottingham University were told of the severe consequences if they did not accept the ‘derived mark’ for assignments that had been completed but not assessed due to industrial action.
They have seen a significant proportion of lectures and tutorial groups cancelled due to industrial action during the academic year and many graduates across Britain have finished their courses without being given grades – causing severe problems in applying for jobs.
Nottingham students affected by the marking ban have been given the ‘derived’ mark based on earlier work.
Students were told of the severe consequences if they did not accept the ‘derived mark’ for assignments that had been completed but not assessed due to industrial action
Students at Nottingham University have seen a significant proportion of lectures and tutorial groups cancelled due to industrial action during the academic year
They can apply to have all of their work marked. But an email sent to first and second year students in departments including law and politics, warned: ‘If you decide not to accept your derived or part-for-whole marks, this may mean that you will not have your marks in time to progress to your next year of study. You may not be able to re-register in September and you may lose access to grant and loan funding.’
Law student James Hutchcraft tweeted: ‘The university seems to be forcing students to choose between accepting wildly inaccurate guesstimate grades or contesting them to receive marked and accurate grades but with the threat that we may not progress to the final year if we do so.’
A 19-year-old student, who asked not to be named, said: ‘This is really unfair. The grade I am on is below what it should be. I am not going to risk asking for the work to be marked as I will probably lose my place as a result.’
Nottingham University declined to reveal how many students were affected by the warning. But a spokesman said: ‘We are deeply sorry for the disruption the marking and assessment boycott has caused for the minority of students affected and recognise that this will cause concern and anxiety.
‘We are doing everything we can to support our finalists to graduate and to ensure progress-ion for students who meet learning outcomes and professional requirements.’
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘While the Government plays no formal role in resolving such disputes, we are deeply concerned about the impact of this action on students who have already faced significant disruption to their studies over recent years.’ They added: ‘We hope all parties can reach an agreement that delivers good value for students, staff and universities so that further industrial action can be avoided.’
The National Union of Students refused to comment on Nottingham’s approach but referred to its open letter to the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, which said the ban ‘threatens to cause irreparable damage to the quality of degrees and the progression of returning students’.
