Marking boycott 2023

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 2023-09-24T08:05:41+00:00

Is anyone else's DC still awaiting their degree results from 2023? Have they lost out on jobs/postgraduate degrees because of this. My DD says some of her friends are still in this position (she is okay - has had other assessments but officially still no degree)

bestbefore · 24/09/2023 09:15

It's awful for them. My dd hasn't had some 2nd year stuff back yet. I know that's not the same but still frustrating

mutterphore · 24/09/2023 12:57

Yes. DS1 (Cambridge Uni) still hasn't had any of his degree marked - ie all exams and dissertation. It feels very weird that term starts for students shortly and he and others are still waiting for degree results from the last academic year.

He'll never now have a proper graduation ceremony but, like others, attended a 'Leaver's Ceremony' instead. It feels like he and others in the same position are a lost generation, with no way of getting any kind of compensation.

Fortunately, his college did a brief summary letter for any future courses/ employers to explain why DS1 has no degree yet and it's currently not prevented him forging ahead with his next step. However, we know of several others who've lost out on Masters courses and graduate jobs, lost their visas etc etc.

You'd think there'd be headlines in the news about this but nobody seems to care or remember this cohort without degrees, despite fulfilling their side of the contract by working very hard to gain the best results they could in exams.

I too am interested to know who else has a DC in this position. There've been several short threads about this a few months ago on MN but it'd be good to have one that unites all those from all universities, who are in the same position.

HewasH2O · 24/09/2023 13:27

Dd's course was one of the worst affected at Oxford. She graduated on Friday with one paper still missing. Her degree classification can't go down and her result is clearly stated on her degree certificate.

She wants to apply for a Masters next year but her missing result is crucial as that paper is something she wishes to specialise in. She isn't missing out though, as she needed to save up & get some practical experience before going back to uni.

I know Durham has a lot of final degrees outstanding and have been giving them compensation. They seem to be in a far worse position than DD as they have no idea what their results could be.

I work with new grads, literally hundreds of them. There has been absolutely no impact on the places offered on graduate training schemes in my profession. The numbers are exactly in line with expectations and, if anything, it has given the new intake the chance to prove themselves by their skills and personalities rather than based on tick box of whether they have a confirmed 1st or 2:1.

Hillarious · 27/09/2023 12:30

@mutterphore - the degree ceremonies in Cambridge in the summer were proper ceremonies, albeit some of the Latin was changed to acknowledge they weren't technically graduating at that ceremony. To anyone from the outside, there was no difference. Gowns hired, photos taken, meals had back in College. The big difference was that those with results were graduated in absence the day before and those awaiting results were or will be graduated in absence once results are out. There was also an option to delay graduation until results were out. Plus, anyone with a Cambridge degree gets a free MA in due course and another opportunity for a degree ceremony.

Whereas my friend's daughter at Uni in London, completing her course during Covid just got her degree certificate in the post. No ceremony, no possibility of a ceremony and no free MA.

Original poster

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 27/09/2023 21:26

An Oxbridge MA isn't quite the same as a proper postgraduate degree - it is more like the Scottish MA - equivalent to a BA in most English universities.

OP posts:

Hillarious · 28/09/2023 14:57

An Oxbridge MA is totally not the same as a proper postgraduate degree, but you still get all the pomp and ceremony when it's awarded.

Lottie4 · 28/09/2023 20:43

Yes, DD has graduated with no degree classification. Some of her friends from abroad have had to return home rather than do a masters as they can't stay and do their course without a classification.

DD literally felt one employer go cold on her during an interview when she explained the position as they were a small firm and hadn't heard about the boycott. She's recently started a job for another small employer who said he'd 'heard about it and it was .... wasn't it?', but luckily she'd proven she was exactly what they were looking for by the time this came out in interview.

concealer141 · 29/09/2023 00:30

DS in Durham still doesn't have Year 2 results and Year 3 officially starts on Monday. I am also surprised the boycott hasn't made news much!

CallieQ · 29/09/2023 01:01

I am still waiting for final results from the Open Uni for MA English Lit part 1 ... were due in July

SandyIrving · 29/09/2023 11:32

DD been told November (nothing marked from semester 2). Okay for her as she is on placement year but classmates who are in final year are a frustrated. November is after midterm submissions so if you need to step it up to get a 2:1 you will have limited modules to do so.

pinksparkly · 29/09/2023 12:00

Yes my son is still waiting from Durham for his final degree grade in maths, he has had only one module out of six marked. He has received £500 in compensation but it was dependant on how many modules you had outstanding. Some of his friends who are still waiting for final classifications have not received anything. He was lucky that the company he has gone to work for still allowed him to start, he has left home and signed a two year rental agreement!! Lets hope he has passed not sure what the company he is working for will do if its a fail.
And we have also spent a considerable amount on a 'fake' graduation labelled a 'Congregation' .
The way Durham have treated their students is appalling!!!!!

Bessieboo06 · 29/09/2023 12:14

Hi
Does anyone know if Cambridge is offering any compensation in light of the on going strike situation. I believe there's a slight current reprieve atm, but my daughter ( who should of graduated, but also went through her "fake" graduation, as she's calling it)
is not feeling hopeful for any real resolution until the new year now....

mutterphore · 29/09/2023 12:28

@Bessieboo06 I've not hear of any compensation being offered to students affected in Cambridge finals. It all seems very unfair and unequal. Has your DD heard anything since the latest info. issued by Cambridge, that leads her to believe there's going to be nothing marked until at least the New Year?

@Hillarious the option to delay the ceremony and have a proper graduation wasn't really an option when every single one of the cohort opted to do the 'fake' 'graduation' /leavers ceremony. DS1 felt he'd have missed out on events both at college and Senate House if he'd not gone along with the pseudo ceremony.

As there's no guarantee that degrees will ever be marked in any case, holding out for a real graduation also didn't seem wise. It might be that students are just allotted a degree result based on previous work, which of course would be very unfair for those who've steadily improved across the years. All that work involved in producing the final year dissertation and studying for exams too may be totally wasted at this rate.

The 'pomp and ceremony' of a Cambridge MA, some years in the future, won't be anything like the undergrad. degree ceremony should have been and for many will probably not be feasible to attend, if by that time they're fully employed in busy jobs. The once in a lifetime chance to have a proper graduation at Senate House as an undergraduate has been taken away from this cohort.

lanthanum · 29/09/2023 14:01

mutterphore · 29/09/2023 12:28

@Bessieboo06 I've not hear of any compensation being offered to students affected in Cambridge finals. It all seems very unfair and unequal. Has your DD heard anything since the latest info. issued by Cambridge, that leads her to believe there's going to be nothing marked until at least the New Year?

@Hillarious the option to delay the ceremony and have a proper graduation wasn't really an option when every single one of the cohort opted to do the 'fake' 'graduation' /leavers ceremony. DS1 felt he'd have missed out on events both at college and Senate House if he'd not gone along with the pseudo ceremony.

As there's no guarantee that degrees will ever be marked in any case, holding out for a real graduation also didn't seem wise. It might be that students are just allotted a degree result based on previous work, which of course would be very unfair for those who've steadily improved across the years. All that work involved in producing the final year dissertation and studying for exams too may be totally wasted at this rate.

The 'pomp and ceremony' of a Cambridge MA, some years in the future, won't be anything like the undergrad. degree ceremony should have been and for many will probably not be feasible to attend, if by that time they're fully employed in busy jobs. The once in a lifetime chance to have a proper graduation at Senate House as an undergraduate has been taken away from this cohort.

The majority of the Cambridge degree ceremony dates are Saturdays, and most of the rest are Fridays, so attending for an MA ceremony should be okay. You can choose which date, but some colleges suggest a particular one so that people can attend with their friends. They'll usually lay on a lunch for any of the dates, but obviously if most people come on the same day they'll run a bigger do. I would imagine more colleges will do that, knowing that the first graduations weren't as normal.

Original poster

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 29/09/2023 15:01

Universities probably had no choice but to continue with the graduation ceremonies - those without their own grand halls had hired venues at great expense and would have lost a lot of money if cancelled.
We all had a good day though

OP posts:

Lottie4 · 03/10/2023 10:59

DD has heard she's likely to get her grade around mid November. Originally she had two essays and dissertation outstanding, but she's got the mark for one essay and her dissertation has obviously been marked as the person marking has suggested she puts it forward for publication. So it's just one essay outstanding and the she knows the person due to mark it is very much supporting the boycott, so will get delayed until last minute.

Cookerhood · 03/10/2023 11:07

DD still has a paper outstanding. They were told that if it wasn't narked in August (it wasn't) that it would be November, with any resits next January! There are people who've started jobs dependent on the results.

fiftiesmum · 31/10/2023 21:12

DC has just had final degree results through - feeling a bit odd as has moved on to next stage of life

Motheranddaughter · 31/10/2023 21:42

It’s a total disgrace

pinksparkly · 06/11/2023 11:13

Results day today released between 12pm and 2pm !! Nervous again!!

SandyIrving · 06/11/2023 12:59

Good luck @pinksparkly. Hope your DC doesn't have a job that will be pulled depending on results.

fiftiesmum · 06/11/2023 18:15

@pinksparkly did all go well?

pinksparkly · 07/11/2023 10:42

He passed thankfully @fiftiesmum @SandyIrving thanks so much for the good wishes x

SandyIrving · 07/11/2023 19:19

Excellent. Son of DHs workmate got his final results yesterday too. Hoping won't be too much longer for other years.