Dear BU UCU Branch Members,

With the Marking and Assessment Boycott in full swing and unit boards and exam boards coming up, please find here a few important reminders and updates.

UCU’s national dispute with the University and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) is at a crunch point.

Holding the line on the MAB is of paramount importance now.

We call on everyone to continue withholding marking and assessment for units. No one is obliged to take on extra marking and assessment to “cover” for colleagues on MAB. Consider that it is your colleagues who have taught and supervised students and who might now see their work marked by others.

We have a policy promoting dignity and kindness and no colleague should be bullied for trade union membership and industrial action.

If management exerts pressure on you or any of your colleagues, please stand with them and please contact us. Make sure to use channels of communication such as WhatsApp, Signal, etc. to stay in touch with each other and have each other’s back.

If you become aware of management roping in outsider marking and/or marking of dubious academic standard from colleagues with little or no knowledge of unit contents and relevant academic disciplines, please contact the Branch Executive via email or also via Twitter message (@UCUBU).

External Examiners on your degree programmes can offer support ahead of boards by declaring that they “as an external examiner are not prepared to sign off marks that have not been derived according to normal quality assurance procedures”.

BU UCU members and Heads of Departments can contact the BU Branch Exec about this and seek support to ensure the quality assurance process is upheld in this time of struggle.

For any questions, please see the UCU FAQ on the MAB. And please contact your local Branch Exec Team.

Keep in mind, the MAB also applies to unit boards and exam boards.

Solidarity, Your BU UCU Branch Exec Team