Hardwin Jones, 25 May 2006

Executive Summary

We carried out a poll among final-year undergraduates, and postgraduates, in mid-May to ask them whether they were affected by the nationwide AUT and NATFHE unions - and if so what the situation was for them, and how they felt about it.

We asked about the status of their exams and coursework - were these being cancelled or left unmarked? And we asked about their views on the issue, and how they felt it would affect their studies and their immediate career prospects.

Overview on the results

715 students answered the survey.

For 65% of respondents, exams were not being marked for the time being.

For 73%, either some or all their coursework had not been marked since the strike began.

13% supported the strike. 46% were sympathetic to it, but felt it should not have been carried out during exam-time.
29% did not support the strike, in protest at the decision to continue it during exam-time.
Meanwhile 12% did not support it, feeling that lecturers have adequate pay and working conditions.

As for where students assign responsibility - 25% blamed the universities for not acceding to demands and resolving the strike earlier, while 24% blamed lecturers for striking; 51% assigned blame to both parties equally.

For 21% of students, universities were employing special measures such as using consultants to set exams, or compiling them from past years' papers; while the remainder were simply cancelling exams or leaving them unmarked.

For the full results, please see the tables below. After the tables are textual comments received from students.

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Vox pops - Survey respondents' comments on the strike

Although I can sympathise to some extent with the lecturers, I personally think it is very selfish to pursue such action which has a detrimental affect upon third years like me. I think that a 12% pay rise is reasonable, and find it disappointing that a salary is more important than the welfare of hundreds of students. Finals are stressful enough without the doubts and anxieties concerning when and even if our exams will be marked.

Appalled at NUS supporting the Strikers - what ever happened to Student interests first?

I am very concerned about the current AUT action, and am displeased by the way lecturers are playing down the effect their action is having on the students, which should not be underestimated. After working hard to get to University, and often making financial sacrifices, I feel that we are being let down and find it deeply unfair that the people who are suffering from the AUT action are the ones who can do nothing about the situation - the students. I hope the lecturers reconsider their methods and stop punishing the students for something that isn't their fault, especially as I would expect them to understand the frustration of not being able to change a situation in which you feel you are being unfairly treated.

I dont see why we are the ones being punished when we dont control their wages.
I feel that students should have been better informed by universities as to the strike's progression and effects. There is too much uncertainty amongst students regarding who is and isn't on strike and who wiil and wont graduate. Those on strike should respect their students and keep them informed.

I understand that lecturers feel they need more pay yet they don't seem to realise that they are holding people's lives in their hands.

I understand why the lecturers are doing it but I am increasingly worried and annoyed that this will affect the end of my degree. It would be a shame to leave university on a low - after accruing 20k of personal debt and four years of incredibly hard work.
I wouldn't mind if they decided not to teach... but to not assess coursework and exams is slap bang out of order!

Lecturers are paid to research areas of their own interest and lecture to get more money. One of the AUT leaders said that the starting salary is only £22,000 for a lecturer ONLY £22,000?? Nurses etc do a far more crucial job and would be grateful of such a high starting salary. I don't think its fair that my degree is compromised when the majority of lecturers on strike have their degree and a phd.

There was no need for either party to let this dispute affect students so directly. Why couldn't they strike on doing research?

I hope it gets sorted so the lecturers can get what they want and we can move on with our careers.

I think its an absolute joke. When the University changed from a 26 to 22 week course, I highly doubt the lectures took a pay cut then. I'm gutted that all the work I have done may be irrelvant and put me at a disadvantage in later life when they see i graduated in 2006.

I think the media coverage has been slightly biased as the VCs gave themselves a substantial payrise last year and they have not explained the reasons for the industrial action very clearly.

I have little to say that has not been expressed more eloquently already. I would simply like to reaffirm that my considered opinion on the matter is to FULLY support the lecturers. Their decision to boycott setting and marking exams is entirely resonable as this is their only real weapon. It is moreover reasonable to boycott setting exams as well as marking them, as it is to be expected that universities would not be above giving written scripts to others (consultants, PhD students etc.) to mark, thus neutralising one of the few real weapons the lecturers can muster.

I beleive this should be a round table discussion where all parties involved in the crisis would be able resolve it once and for all, and in an amicable manner. It is quite unfortunate that when two elephants fight it is the grass that suffers. In a situation like this, it is the students that are suffering.

I fully support the lecturers in their actions, and blame the employers who had the oppurtunity to do something about the whole situation over seven months ago. If the lecturers don't ask for a review of their pay now, number of people becoming lecturers in the next few years will deminish as people will rather go into professions that pay them more money. This strike is for the good of lecturers and also future students who would someday like to benefit from having quality university degrees.

My experience at my university has been that as far as possible they are doing there best to avoid punishing the students. They are not going out of their way to make such a difficult time any harder infact have been fully helpful. As far as I understand (and this is indirect information) they will mark our exams and inform us, the students of our 'provisional' grade so that if necessary we can prepare for resists, or whatever, but they will not be made public or go through external boards. I see this as a fair and reasonable approach to the situation and because they are so rational, I am more supportive to their cause.

Students thoughts about their exams and about the future

My exams weren't cancelled, but the stress of not knowing whether they were going to go ahead or not did not help at perhaps the most stressful period of my life. Now I have no idea when they will be marked or not.

I found it difficult to motivate myself knowing that there was a high chance my paper wouldn't be looked at. I also wrote a dissertation that may not be in cluded in my degree result as they are basing the degree's on marks gained, I might as well not have sat 4th year as they can only presently take one module into account.

i'm doing my PGCE and may not be able to register with the GTC until my result comes through and this could easily delay my job prospects due to the importance of being registered when teaching and working with children. i don't have exams but coursework that i handed in in February has still not been marked and i think this is appalling. we have kept to our deadlines despite problems it is only fair that universities keep to their sid of the deal when it comes to deadlines.

I was not happy to read that AUT representatives are warning employees that degrees from 2006 may be discredited! What have students done to deserve this? Provisions should have been introduced to at least mark final year students' papers. The sooner this situation is resolved, the better.

I attend the University of Manchester, who keep insisting exams will take place as normal and we will graduate in July 2006. They say they have 'measures' in place, but fail to elaborate to set our minds at ease. I think the worry of these issues is affecting everyones motivation.

Im frustrated that after a year of working consistently hard, it will be ignored and I will recieve less marks then I deserve. I am deeply worried and did not want to spend my final year of university worrying over not my work but university issues!!

There should have been far more communication with the students to let them know the ongoing situation. Until our exms started this week we were in total limbo with nobody telling us anything. Now students who's exams are cancelled only find out 48 hours before which is ridiculous. You could spend a week revising for nothing!

It sucks so much, after all this time, effort and money to not have a degree.