Dear students,
Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for a new academic year, all of us at the University wish you a very warm welcome.
You may be aware that the University has been subject to periods of industrial action over previous months, and that there are calls from the campus unions for colleagues to take part in further strikes over the coming weeks.
These are part of a national dispute over pay and related issues between the Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) and the trade unions, but they may affect teaching at the University of Glasgow over the coming weeks.
We apologise for any inconvenience or disruption the industrial action may cause you.
The University has called for a continuation of national negotiations aimed at reaching a mutually acceptable settlement and for the strikes to end.
We will continue to update you when we are able to. In the meantime, further information will be published on the student webpages.
We recognise that the industrial action may cause anxiety to some individuals. The University has a range of support services available including a new 24-hour Counselling and Advice Line to provide guidance and help students work through any concerns.
Industrial Action September 2023
When is each union taking strike action?
Unite (13-19 September)
UCU (18, 19, 26, 27, 28 September)
Unison (19, 20, 26, 27 and 28 September)
What will strike action look like?
Some staff on strike may form a picket line by standing outside university buildings and explaining to people why they are on strike. They aim to persuade fellow union members not to cross the picket line so that as many members as possible take strike action.
Anyone wishing to cross a picket line must be allowed to do so, and pickets should be carried out peacefully, without blocking entrances.
Will any of my classes be cancelled?
Unfortunately, we don’t know in advance if there will be cancelled classes. However, Schools will endeavour to communicate promptly to students any information they can share about classes which are cancelled or disrupted by the industrial action. Schools will also endeavour to reschedule classes wherever this is possible.
Will I be assessed on material that I haven't been taught?
You will not be assessed on any material that hasn’t been taught.
Once again we apologise for the disruption. As this is a national dispute we are unable to resolve this strike action locally.
Marking and Assessment Boycott
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO GRADUATE IN JUNE 2023
Graduated students: parchments, certifying letters and further employment or study
The vast majority of students who were due to graduate in June/July 2023 were able to do so at that time.
However, as with many universities around the UK, due to the industrial action, there were some students for whom we were unable to confirm a degree classification at the time of graduation. Since then, Schools have continued to work hard on marking these students’ assessments and finalising their degree classification.
If you have not yet received your degree classification, then we can provide you with a certifying letter until your full classification is available and has been issued to you. This certifying letter provides details of your current GPA. We have calculated this on the basis of the grades we have confirmed to date plus all other components of your assessments that have already been marked. The letter also indicates the maximum and minimum possible value of your final GPA, once the remainder of your grades have been confirmed, that will determine your final degree classification.
You may need to supply this letter to a graduate employer, or to another university if you have applied for further study. If you require further copies of this letter, you can obtain these from the MyCampus self service centre – instructions can be found here. If you require the letter to be authenticated you may request this by applying to the Student Services Enquiry team.
If you have graduated and are applying for further study at the University of Glasgow, the University Admissions Team should have contacted you already about the status of your application. If your degree classification has not yet been confirmed, the Admissions Team will seek to make a decision about your application based the information (i.e. confirmed course grades and other available marks) that the University already has. The University will make these admission decisions on the principle that no student should be disadvantaged because of the marking and assessment boycott. For further information see here. You can also contact the Admissions Team with general enquiries here.
If you have graduated and are applying for further study at another institution, then you should contact the Admissions Team at that institution to discuss your application. It is anticipated that many other UK institutions will, again, seek to make admissions decisions based on the course grades and other marks that you already have – even where your final degree classification has not yet been confirmed.
Should you encounter any difficulties, due to the marking and assessment boycott, with progressing your application for further study, either at the University of Glasgow or at another institution, please contact the Student Services Enquiry Team.
Graduated students: Confirmed final degree classification
If your record currently shows a degree classification (e.g. First class, lower second, etc), this means either:
- That all your assessments have been marked and the results ratified by the Exam Board, OR
- That marking is not yet complete for some assessments, but sufficient ratified results were available for the Exam Board to have confirmed your final classification. In other words, had the missing grades been available, they could not have made any difference to your overall classification. If you fall into this group, no grade will have been entered against courses where marking is incomplete.
Students with a confirmed degree classification who had enrolled for graduation were able to attend the ceremony and received a degree parchment on the day.
Where students did NOT have a confirmed degree classification at the time of graduation, further marking may have now taken place and their degree classification may have now been confirmed. In this case, further information will follow as soon as possible concerning any incomplete results and missing grades. In the meantime, we would kindly request that you do not ask your School about these results as marking is still on-going and results will be released as soon as possible. You will be contacted when your results are available.
IMPORTANT: Please ensure that your MyCampus record includes an up-to-date postal address that the University can use over the summer period in order to forward updated documentation.
Graduated students: Confirmed degree award, but no classification yet available
If your record currently shows the classification ‘Degree Classification: Qualified’ this means that some assessments have not yet been marked, due to the impact of the industrial action. Sufficient ratified results were available for the Exam Board to confirm that you were eligible for award of the degree. However, it is not yet possible for the Exam Board to confirm your final degree classification. The missing grades, when available, will determine the classification to be awarded.
If you fall into this group, no grade will have been entered against courses where marking is currently incomplete. Students who were in this group at the time of graduation were able to attend the ceremony and received a degree parchment on the day.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. As soon as your final degree classification is confirmed, you will be advised that your MyCampus record has been updated. Your updated parchment will be issued to you as soon as possible thereafter.
Graduating Students: No confirmed outcome
If your record does not currently show any classification (e.g. First, lower second, or ‘Qualified’), unfortunately this means that, due to the limited availability of ratified results, it is still not possible to confirm whether you are eligible for the award of the degree for which you are currently enrolled.
While the University expects very few students to be in this position, as a matter of urgency we continue to prioritise the marking of outstanding work in order to confirm their degree outcome as soon as possible, and we apologise for any inconvenience.
Once marking is complete and your final outcome is confirmed, documentation will be sent to you. You will be advised as soon as your MyCampus record has been updated. In the meantime, we would kindly request that you do not ask your School about your degree outcome as marking is still on-going and results will be released as soon as possible.
INFORMATION FOR CONTINUING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
If your marking is complete for Session 2022-23
If the marking of your work is complete and all grades have been published, in this case, the University has been able to make a decision about your progression into the next year of study and any resits which may have been necessary.
If you are still awaiting grades for Session 2022-23
As is the case in many universities around the UK, due to the impact of the marking and assessment boycott, in some cases students may not yet have received grades for courses taken in the 2022-23 academic session.
If you are still awaiting grades for some of your courses, in this case you will be able to progress provisionally to the next year of your degree. However, it may be that you will receive the outcome “Credit Awarded” for one or more of your courses in Session 2022-23.
Your School or Subject may contact you with advice about your suitability to progress at this time and we would encourage you to engage with the advising team if there is any indication that your progression at this stage may be unwise. This largely relates to students whose performance has not been strong, and/or who have experienced adverse personal circumstances that have not yet been resolved and that could impact next year’s study.
Please do seek guidance and advice to make the best choice for you. However, no student will be prevented from progressing to the next stage of their degree because of the Marking and Assessment Boycott.
INFORMATION FOR POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT STUDENTS: PROGRESSION TO THE DISSERTATION/PROJECT
If your coursework marking is complete
If the marking of your PGT coursework is already complete and all of your grades have been published, in this case the University has been able to make a decision in the normal way about your progression to the next stage of your degree and any resits which may have been necessary.
If you are still awaiting coursework grades
If you are still awaiting grades for some of your PGT courses, in this case, your progression to the dissertation/project stage of your degree will have been provisionally approved, although your School may have contacted you with advice about your suitability to progress at this time.
The University is fully committed to completing the marking of any outstanding coursework AND PGT dissertation/project work in a timely manner, so that wherever possible PGT students are able to graduate as planned in Autumn/Winter 2023.
Once any outstanding PGT coursework has been marked, some PGT students may require to undertake reassessments in order to satisfy the regulations of their degree programme. Further details about any such reassessments that may be required will be provided as soon as possible. Again, every effort will be made to ensure that any required reassessments do not cause a delay in PGT students’ ability to graduate on schedule. In the meantime, PGT students should continue to work on their dissertation/project and submit their work by the date as indicated by their School/Subject.
If you are a PGT student and are applying for further study at the University of Glasgow, the University Admissions Team should have contacted you already about the status of your application. If you are currently missing grades from your PGT coursework, then Admissions Team will seek to make a decision about your application based the information (i.e. confirmed course grades and other available marks) that the University already has. The University will make these admission decisions on the principle that no student should be disadvantaged because of the marking and assessment boycott. For further information see here. You can also contact the Admissions Team with general enquiries here.
If you are a PGT student and are applying for further study at another institution, then you should contact the Admissions Team at that institution to discuss your application. It is anticipated that many other UK institutions will, again, seek to make admissions decisions based on the course grades and other marks that you already have – even where there are coursework grades that are missing.
Should you encounter any difficulties, due to the marking and assessment boycott, with progressing your application for further study, either at the University of Glasgow or at another institution, please contact the Student Services Enquiry Team.
About industrial action
Why is the industrial action happening?
The UCU is striking in relation to issues of pay, pensions and working conditions.
Will the University campus be open during the industrial action?
Yes, the campus – including, we expect, all learning, social and sports facilities – will remain open throughout the strike. On strike days there may be a picket line at one or more of the entrances, but students and staff will not be prevented from freely entering and leaving the campuses.
Should I still attend University during the industrial action?
You will be expected to attend classes and supervisions as normal unless specifically advised not to do so by your School.
What will it look and feel like on campus?
Some staff on strike may form a picket line by standing outside university buildings and explaining to people why they are on strike. They aim to persuade fellow union members not to cross the picket line so that as many members as possible take strike action.
Anyone wishing to cross a picket line must be allowed to do so, and pickets should be carried out peacefully, without blocking entrances.
Teaching and Assessment
Will the boycott affect my eligibility for the Graduate Visa?
There is more information available about this on the International Student Support webpages.
Will the boycott affect my Student Visa application?
UK Visas & Immigration is offering some limited flexibility to any students affected by the boycott who need to extend their student visa inside the UK. New entrants should refer to the University Admissions team, and current students may contact the International Student Support team for advice.
Will this boycott affect exams?
All exams in the Spring 2023 diet have taken place as scheduled. Marking of student assessments is being completed and scrutinized to the appropriate academic standards, and we expect no student will be prevented from progressing to the next stage of their degree, or graduating, because of the current industrial action.
In a small number of cases there may be a delay in the release of marks. For students graduating in June 2023, where the final degree classification is not yet available, the University will provide a certifying letter. This will give details of your current GPA, determined on the basis of the grades we have finalised to date. We will also provide the minimum and maximum possibleclassification you may be awarded, once all your grades are available. This letter will be emailed to you by Friday 23 June.
Will the boycott affect coursework hand-in deadlines?
All students should meet expected deadlines unless they have been granted an extension.
Will the boycott affect the issue of degree classifications?
It is possible that in a few instances, the University will not be able to issue final degree classifications on time. If there is a delay in receiving your degree classification, the University will provide a certifying letter. This will give details of your current GPA, determined on the basis of the grades we have finalised to date. We will also provide the minimum and maximum possible classification you may be awarded, once all your grades are available. This letter will be emailed to you by Friday 23 June.
Will the boycott affect marking, results, and the return of coursework?
It is possible that marking, the return of coursework and the publication of results may be affected by the marking and assessment boycott. Schools will let students know about any delays as soon as they are known.
Should I submit a good cause claim if I am affected by strike action?
Good cause claims relate to adverse circumstances that impact on your ability to complete your assessment. It is not anticipated that the strike action would result in such claims because you will not be assessed on any material that has not been adequately covered. Staff will make an academic judgement as to whether adequate learning opportunities have been provided, by means of taught classes or alternative learning opportunities, such as directed study, Moodle materials, use of annotated reading lists etc.
Good cause does remain available in line with the University regulations. For more information see the Good Cause FAQs.
I am an international student on a Visa/Tier 4 visa, will the industrial action affect my attendance?
No. If necessary, Schools will have alternative arrangements in place to note students’ engagement with their studies.
I am a Postgraduate Research student; how will the boycott affect me?
It is possible that doctoral visas scheduled during the period of strike action may be affected. Members of an examination committee intending to take action will be encouraged to advise any such candidates in advance. In the event that a viva is postponed, it will be rearranged as soon as possible.
Similarly, supervision meetings due to take place during the period of action may be affected. Staff will be encouraged to advise students of anticipated disruption. The University expects that any missed supervisory meetings will be re-scheduled wherever possible.
Further Information
Who can I contact for help and advice?
If you have any further questions about the industrial action, you can get help with the UofG Helpdesk.
Can I still email my lecturer/supervisor/other teaching staff?
Yes, but there may be a delayed response if the person you are contacting is on strike. If you need urgent advice please also contact your School administration team.
How can I make a complaint about the industrial action?
Any complaints about the industrial action should be addressed to complaints@glasgow.ac.uk.
Further information on the complaints process is available at: glasgow.ac.uk/connect/complaints.