Students that face a delayed graduation have written to their Vice-Chancellor objecting to the poor treatment of their lecturers.
An open letter signed by Oxford Brookes students calls for an end to unpaid hours for university staff, a commitment to fixing gender pay gaps and “stable” contracts.
The Brookes’ students anger follows industrial action by the University College Union (UCU), which represents many academics and lecturers across the UK.
Read also: Oxford Brookes students' letter to their Vice Chancellor
University staff took to the picket line in February over the gender, ethnic and disability pay gaps; casualisation and ‘precarious’ employment practices; unsafe workloads and falling pay.
At the time of the strike action, Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice- Chancellor said he was “hugely disappointed” to see the strikes go ahead.
He said: “Alongside our discussions with UCU, our priority will be to do everything we can to minimise disruption to our students’ ongoing teaching, learning and assessment.”
However, now Oxford Brookes students are faced with the reality of a marking boycott which will delay their final grades. Those in third year could face a delayed graduation, which could affect their post-university plans, such as internships, further study and jobs.
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In the open letter is states: “Your communications to us thus far have implied that we should direct our ire about this state of affairs towards the lecturers. We disagree.
“You all have the ability to help ameliorate the conditions that have forced our lecturers to strike, and you have chosen not to. If our grades and graduations are delayed, the blame falls squarely at the feet of you and your colleagues around the country.”
In the open letter the students outline an array of concerns including lectures low wages and casual shifts, leading them to have difficulty paying basic bills. The students have called this “grotesque” and “unfair”.
The letter states: “Some have been forced to rely on food banks to make ends meet. Meanwhile, you are all making either six figures or very nearly six figures.”
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The students have also called their lectures workloads “completely absurd” and highlighted many are not being paid for the extra hours they work.
The final words of the open letter state: “In our view, you have a responsibility, partly inherent in your positions and partly because of the massive amount of goodwill that has been extended to you over the years by lecturers, to advocate on their behalf.
“If we as students are capable of organising and registering our concerns with you, you absolutely have the ability to advocate on behalf of lecturers to your colleagues. We expect you to use it.”
An Oxford Brookes spokesperson said: "We have written to all students to reassure them that we will continue to do all that we can to ensure their academic progress is not negatively impacted by industrial action.
"The University has a number of mechanisms available to ensure this doesn’t happen, and their use will depend upon specific circumstances and the extent to which students have been impacted by industrial action."
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