UCL UCU - Academic Board votes to oppose dangerous mitigations!

Over 80% of AB voting members in a meeting of 375 attendees, voted to hand back power to individual Exam Boards. In particular, the motion stated that:

• Degree mitigations for boycotted marking must not extend to confirming a module grade or degree without a quorate Exam Board meeting without proper oversight by an External Examiner.

• Module mitigations for boycotted marking must not extend to condoning modules that are not normally condonable on the relevant degree programme.

• No grades should be awarded using an “algorithmic” process or marking/assessment by non-experts given student’s work solely for the purpose of mitigating boycott action (e.g., to generate marks based on predictions from prior work).

This will help to secure academic standards and is part of a wider campaign by Academic Boards/Senates around the country who are challenging their employers over inappropriate and dangerous 'mitigation' procedures.

If you are a Chair of an Exam Board then please write to ucu@ucl.ac.uk if you have questions about what this will mean and how to interpret the new guidance.

Many of you will by now have declared your participation in the MAB. We will be circulating more information on Pledges and Deductions later in the week so please look out for that.

But for now, please remember:

1. You only have a legal duty to report action you have already taken.

• You can only report any MAB activity that you have already done (e.g. not marking work that is already due). You do not have to say anything about future MAB actions, whether that is PGT marking deadlines coming up in July or August, or Exam Boards that have not yet taken place.

2. Do not use the HR form. All members should initiate a formal grievance instead.

• The HR form is simply Yes/No for MAB participation and implies that we accept UCL’s draconian plans for a flat rate 35-day pay deduction.

• Instead, please write to Donna Dalrymple (d.dalrymple@ucl.ac.uk) and Michael Spence (michael.spence@ucl.ac.uk) initiating a formal grievance contesting their proposed deductions. You can use this template as a starting point - please copy and edit it to reflect your personal circumstances.

• If you have duties which are not marking, such as organising Academic Misconduct Panels or Chairing a BoE you should include these, but don’t feel the need to estimate exactly how long they might have taken at this point. If there are specific issues which are not covered by the template, please get in touch for more guidance (email ucu@ucl.ac.uk).

3. Professional Services members are vital to the MAB.

• Your actions in boycotting the processing of marks and assessments matter, and you will be supported by our branch the same way as all MABers.

• You cannot refuse management requests that are not directly related to marking or assessment but are the fallout of the MAB. But you can ask how to prioritise the extra workload generated, and insist that you do not work beyond your contracted hours - we are still on ASOS, afterall!

• Be especially wary of requests to compile lists of staff that can be used to identify and disadvantage MABers. Some advice on relevant “Blacklisting” legislation.

MAB FAQs:

• Local UCL UCU FAQs

• National UCU MAB guidance

UCL UCU Executive Committee

www.ucl.ac.uk/ucu

@ucl_ucu