Concerned about strike action at UoN

[JitneyJones]

DD is an undergraduate at University of Nottingham. Staff have announced strike action. I'm concerned how this will impact her and her cohort as this is their final year. She got 55% overall for her 2nd year and is hoping to achieve a 2.1.

Concerned here also. Ds is in Edinburgh in his final year with his career path contingent on a 2:1.

I've no sense of how long they'd be williing to let this run. Ultimately every strike has to come to an end but how much collateral damage before that, not to mention bitterness and anger in the workforce. What a mess.

Isn’t a 2:1 60%? 55% is sitting on a 2:2.

It is not good at all and students are caught in the mess of it all

She said “hoping to achieve a 2:1” not “sitting on a 2:1”.

I know. Year 2 counts for 33% so she's hoping to increase to 63% in year 3 so she can get a 2.1.

Ok! But it’s a big climb up. Hope she does it.

Students often do better in their final year, if they are really putting the effort in and are learning from their feedback so I think hoping for a 2:1 is not unreasonable with the right mindset and focus.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience of staff strikes at university and the impact on students.

There were a lot of strikes a few years ago, which were partially successful, in that seriously detrimental (and unnecessary) changes to the pension scheme were averted.

The effect on students will depend on how many lecturers in their subject are striking.

What's she studying? Depends how unionised her area is. Does she know how many went out on strike last time? Most staff are not in the union.

What an unhelpful contribution.

worrying times (I’m UoN alumna) and the staff morale is undoubtedly going to be affected. But it does depend on her course and the length of time strikes will last ofc on student outcomes. What a sad set up.

Going to university is not essential, like going to school or having an NHS. I would refuse to strike if I were an academic. Higher education is in crisis as it is, they are just talking themselves out of jobs long term. I don’t agree with the huge salaries at the top or the way some moneys are spent, but I think striking now is immensely stupid and they haven’t read the room.

What an unhelpful contribution

I know 🙂

Only half of DS1 second year work was ever marked three years ago at UON. It probably didn’t affect his result but we’ll never know and was completely demoralising.

@JitneyJones let’s play pretend: 55% is a 2:1 then! If work isn’t marked, how do they assume she would be getting 10
marks higher on average in y3? Maybe they will give her 65% in everything in the future just to be kind? Perhaps that’s the big hidden bonus for students?