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Students Condemn Boycott Of ExamsFri, May 12, 2006Source: BBCNewcastle is among the universities varying degree rules The National Union of Students has described as "extremely worrying" the ongoing refusal by members of the AUT academics' union to set examsNewcastle is among the universities varying degree rules The AUT and the other main lecturers' union, Natfhe, are also refusing to mark students' work. The AUT said the intransigence of the employers was the problem. The employers say the unions should ballot on their three-year 12.6% offer. The statement from the NUS came after it sent a delegation to the AUT's Council meeting in Scarborough on Thursday. President Kat Fletcher said afterwards: "Yesterday AUT Council voted to continue with their current course of action and as committed student unionists and democrats, we acknowledge the decision was democratically reached." 'Unbearable' But, she added, "this continuing stance is extremely concerning for our members and we will continue to make the AUT aware of the consequences of this policy. Sitting exams is stressful enough but not knowing when you are going to take them is unbearable Kat Fletcher "Sitting exams is stressful enough but not knowing when you are going to take them is unbearable." She said the students' union would be "insisting" on a meeting with the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) to call for new negotiations. "The fact that they refused for weeks to meet with the lecturers' unions earlier on in the dispute has contributed to the current situation and the disruption students are facing." Employers The NUS was also consulting graduate recruiters and professional bodies about arrangements for graduating students if the dispute continued. "We will also be talking to the teaching unions to see if their members are willing to provide formal letters with predicted grades to employers should the need arise." AUT general secretary, Sally Hunt, said in response that her union fully understood the NUS's need to represent some of its members' concerns. "We too share their concerns and frustrations that this dispute it being allowed to drag on," she said. UCEA said it had written to the NUS "on numerous occasions" offering to meet, so would be delighted to do so. A spokesperson said: "The academic unions' refusal to even contemplate putting the employers' final pay offer to their members - despite pressure from politicians of all parties, fellow trade unions, students and parents - shows just how unrealistic they are being." Degrees As the dispute begins to hit students' prospects, universities have been setting out their contingency plans. The University of Newcastle, for example, amended its academic regulations so final year students could graduate even if every piece of assessment had not been completed. If a piece of coursework was unmarked, for example, the student could graduate and be given their classification - First, 2:1, and so on - later, once marking had been completed. If an exam had not been set, the classification might be based on other, completed work. Students would have a right of appeal. Birmingham said 17 exams out of a total 1,432 had been "postponed", one of those being a final year exam. More than 1,000 students were affected including 64 in their final year. The vice-chancellors' organisation Universities UK said it was exchanging information with its members on the practical measures being to mitigate potential disruption to students. It said any student or parent concerned about "alarmist headlines" should contact their individual institution to get an accurate picture of how they might be affected. |