Uni of Edinburgh not marking dissertations/final pieces of work - anyone else's DC affected?

[Iliketulips]

DD heard this afternoon that her dissertation and final pieces of work are not to be marked by Uni of Edinburgh. She is absolutely devastated right now as she wanted her true degree result and feedback on hours of work. She feels her most recent work is the best, so will never know if she could have got her grade up. Moving forward she was seriously considering studying a masters abroad abroad and also working abroad, but now uncertain if that's possible as she thinks they'll wanted an athenticated degree.

After attending her non-graduation ceremony last week, yesterday my daughter received an email from her department at Edinburgh informing her that she will not have her grade until November. All very generic - 'we are sorry' etc. Many other students at the university are in that situation too, but what is particularly upsetting is that many students on her course (which is not a large one) have received a degree classification - in fact her whole row at graduation had their grades.

If it was me, I would swing into a mood of righteous fury, but instead she is feeling anxious and depressed. I am urging her to write to her head of department to request a specific explanation for her situation rather than accepting the cut-and-paste standard email. Any helpful suggestions as to how we can encourage her department to provide some answers would be gratefully received. I thought perhaps a FOI request to establish how many others on her course are in the same position might give them a jog? At the moment she feels like she's the only one and it's might be due to something she has done wrong in her exams etc - very upsetting. She has had a mark for her dissertation but nothing else.

Did your DDs department publish details of which modules were marked and which were not (and which the Board of Examiners had ratified - I don't think modules were ratified if anyone was still waiting for marks). That will probably explain why some people have degree classes or an unclassified honours degree. Details for SPS (DDs school) are on their website). I think because Edinburgh degree class is average of all modules there was less scope than other unis where they take best x of y modules. Plus if you study a subjects where marks tend to be between 55-75% then even harder to estimate degree class with missing marks (particularly if uni is trying to avoid grade inflation)

The fact that some people on courses gor their proper degrees and some didn’t makes it particularly unfair
Have heard of one Uni in England where the decision was no one on the course would graduate
My heart goes out to all students affected by this strike

Thanks @SandyIrvin Her department have not published details – that's what I suggested she ask them for. I think it's unreasonable (and frankly piss poor) of the department not to get in touch and provide some specific information. She arrived at graduation thinking all her cohort were also unclassified, only to find out that was not the case. This week she received a generic university-wide email from the Vice Principal of Students saying that outcomes are 'expected to be published in November'. That's it, no other explanations or communications given.

Disgraceful

UCL appear to be attempting a localised solution.
https://twitter.com/UCL_UCU/status/1682374961468518400
Not good enough for the UCU

Not exactly going to encourage other universities to try!

So DD got all excited on Thursday as an email came in from Cardiff - only to tell her she should have her result by the end of October…

It looks like there is going to be a break in the MAB in the first half of October, so I imagine lots of Universities will be attempting to get assessments marked and Exam Boards scheduled by mid Oct.

Saw the same from DDs uni. If lifted exam Boards end of October and results early November.

My DD is on a placement year but her classmates who have gone back to their final year have been complaining about their module choices. They are saying they are being pushed into modules taken by non strikers even if these were low on their preference list. Is this happening elsewhere?

Does anyone have any insight into why UCU have not announced any results from their e consultation into the MAB? It ended Friday, and sounded like they were considering ending early given the mandate ends 30th September and marking will have to be done then.

They've gone silent which makes me wonder if the response rate was too low to make meaningful conclusions.

Looks as though the boycott has been called off early by UCU - so DC may actually get their grades and be able to graduate. Phew.

Email from Grady at 3.30 today. 60% of members voted to call off the MAB, which has now been done.

My daughter’s still got only a provisional degree classification, but she has now started her preferred job. This has only happened because the employer was so understanding, and it is still unclear whether her diss and assessments will be marked.

I feel these lecturers, irrespective of their grievance, should have given some thought to the fact that the cohort affected by the MAB were also the ones most affected by covid. Especially irritating that they’ve racked up debt (DD £40k+), had v little face to face teaching and now this shitty ending.

Wishing all our young people a satisfactory and fair outcome.

@SerafinasGoose do you have a copy of the email that you could share please?

@Gettingthroughtheweek yes good news although there must be a huge marking backlog and with new strikes already announced for the first week of teaching block one you wonder how staff will find the time in between striking, new module teaching and marking to mark last year's 2nd and 3rd years (I assume 2nd years need marking as a percentage of their marks generally counts to the final mark).

Good news - not quite sure how, as I don’t think exam boards have happened, but DS has finally got his degree! He hasn’t got all module marks so not sure if everything’s been marked, but he must have gathered enough credits to be awarded. Apparently the grade doesn’t go down if future marking lowers the overall mark - which is slightly disquieting from a quality POV, but at this stage it’s just great that he can now actually say he’s a graduate.

It’s just such a shame he’s missed a chance to celebrate at graduation, since he didn’t want to go to the sham ceremony in July. Another milestone missed.

@Gettingthroughtheweek great news but also a shame he missed his graduation. will he go next year or was it a one chance only?

DD did go to hers as she was awarded a ‘pass’ and was pleased she did.

We’d applied for extra tickets and were refused as it was sold out. On the day the hall was approx 3/4 full though so we guess a lot decided last minute not to go because they didn’t have results. We’re a till waiting for her final result!

Gettingthroughtheweek Great news for your DS. One of DD's friends has had his grade as well. DD attended her graduation, but I seem to recall her saying at the time she could defer it so it might be worth him checking if he can attend a ceremony later in the year.

DD suspects it's just one essay outstanding, as the person marking her dissertation has made the comment how well she did with it, and also they marked one of her essays after boycott announced.

One interview fell flat when she explained she hadn't got a grade, but luckily started a job this morning related to her course.

Anyone else getting final results through now? The ones I've heard of have been excluded from final classification calculation. I'm not sure if this is university wide or just certain courses.

Not final results but DD waiting for results which are meant to make-up 25% of final degree classification. She will be really pissed off if the entire 2nd semester is excluded.

Are they providing a mark for modules and then excluding ?

That's what I have heard happened in two unrelated courses. Marks provided, with a note to say they will be excluded.

I imagine excluding modules for degree classification will only work if compulsory module. If some optional ones are excluded then there will be others clambering to have their worst results excluded too (plus those who did well in it asking for it to included).

It really is a shit storm. DD has had her final mark but still to receive degree classification despite Cardiff saying she should have it by end of October.

DD did a year abroad, so it's all on her final year.

She doesn't have the marks for her last two essays and dissertation, but thinks she's done reasonably well with one essay as she's seen it in a tweet that she'd worked so hard on her essay, and since then her dissertation has been marked as she had an email suggesting she put it forward for publication - she's really not going to be happy if it's not included. She continued working on the above (like many) knowing there was a marking boycott and in times she was sat there in tear trying to concentrate on her work - so unfair if they've got marks that aren't included.

Can't imagine they can exclude the dissertation from degree classification as its a third of the 4th year (or a third overall for those who were abroad). I know in DDs subject it was only the dissertation that was marked in June (to minimise effect on those continuing in academia).

I hope final years find out soon.