Update on the marking and assessment boycott

Dear students,

It is lovely to see some students still in York and planning to stay with us over the summer. For those heading elsewhere, I wish you safe travels. Our next academic year - indeed, the first one organised into semesters - will no doubt come round quickly, and we will continue to update you with important information during the break.

Today, I’d like to briefly explain the latest on the impact of the marking and assessment boycott. 

If you are impacted because we are still missing too many marks (so we don't have enough information to make a decision about progression), you can continue to next year with the caveat that your results are still pending. Please keep talking to your Departments for help and support. I know many staff are working tirelessly to try and find alternative, well-qualified markers: we will not stop these efforts so we can get your marks to you as soon as possible. We’re making the best informed decisions we can, but please continue to check your University email account regularly over the summer, as this is how we will send you important updates.

There is also advice and guidance on our industrial action FAQs about how we are handling the boycott and supporting you. You can also read more about how both the University and the local UCU are trying to push for reform at the national negotiations to bring an end to the action. 

Ultimately, the current national pay offer is not what staff deserve, but we also need to recognise that we are in a broken UK higher education funding system. This leaves many universities in a position where higher pay rises creates severe financial difficulties: a marking and assessment boycott is not the answer. Yet I know that for those caught up in this appalling disruption, a national resolution remains imperative.

I will continue to do all that I can to push for a resolution and prevent any further disruption for you. 

With best wishes,

Charlie
Vice-Chancellor and President