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The following FAQ contains answers to the most commonly
asked questions received from members so far. It will be added to as
the action proceeds. Updated sections are date marked. Please check
regularly for additions.
Last updated: 8/03
GENERAL
When does the action start?
From Monday 1 March 2004 AUT member will withdraw from the
following activities: student assessment, call-out cover, staff appraisal, job
evaluation and cover for absent colleagues.
When will it finish?
There is no finish date the association is determined to
continue the action until its pay objectives are met. Full support for the
action from all members is the best way to force the employers back to the
negotiating table as quickly as possible.
ASSESSMENT BOYCOTT
What exactly does the boycott of student assessment
include?
The boycott is intended to be comprehensive and to include all formal student assessment. By 'formal' we mean any
assessment, whether expressed numerically or in any other form, which
contributes to the award or classification of any degree, certificate, diploma
or any other academic or professional qualification. It applies to all levels,
sub-degree, undergraduate or postgraduate, and to all forms of higher education
and professional training, full-time, part-time or distance learning. As well
as final awards at the end of courses, the boycott also covers assessment that
contributes to decisions about the suitability of students suitability to
continue with their studies (eg at the end of the first year of a degree
course) or to undertake particular options or modules (eg where they have
pre-requisites).
The assessment boycott is not restricted to final
examinations, but includes any form of in-course continuous assessment. It
will include traditional essay marking, but also assessment of any student work
falling within the formal assessment defined above, including, for example, the
assessment of projects and dissertations, laboratory and other practical work,
performance (eg in music or drama) and supervised practice (eg in teacher
education). Examination of dissertations and theses at postgraduate level, as
well as vivas, are included in the action.
What about the administration associated with student
assessment?
Yes, all administration associated with formal student
assessment is included in the boycott. For example, members should not set
examination papers or attend any meetings or parts of meetings at which student
work is assessed or examined (including, of course, examination boards) or act
as invigilators.
But what if my job is almost entirely devoted to the
administration of examinations?
There are a small number of members, such as examination
officers working in university registries, whose jobs are wholly or almost wholly
devoted to examinations work. They are not covered by the action short of a
strike and should continue to work normally.
What about marks and assessments that were produced
before the action started should I withhold them?
No, you cannot withhold marks if requested to release them
by your employer, and, in certain circumstances, by students. Our action is
non-marking, not withholding of marks. It is therefore vitally important that
members do not carry out any formal student assessment thereby ensuring that
they have no marks or any records of assessment outcomes in their possession.
Of course, there will still be opportunities to prevent the
processing of existing marks and assessments, for example, by boycotting exam
boards.
Is external examining included in the action?
No. We have balloted members in relation to their principal
employment. External examining involves a contract with a separate employer
and was not covered by the ballot (indeed, it could not have been since we do
not hold information centrally about member 's external examining duties).
I have a separate contract for my internal examining
duties, does that mean that I am exempt from the assessment boycott?
No. There are a few cases of institutions where internal
examining duties attract additional payment and perhaps operate under a
separate contract. However, so long as the contract is with the same employer
(in contrast with external examining) the student examining and assessment
duties are covered by the action.
Can we still give students feedback on their progress?
We are boycotting all forms of student assessment which
contribute to the final award or grade or relate to formal decisions about
student progress through their courses. Members should not carry out any assessment
that falls within those areas or use such assessments in student feedback. Any
other form of feedback to students on their performance is part of teaching and
not included in the action.
What about the assessment of supervised practice in
professional courses?
There are several courses leading to professional
qualifications which involve supervised and assessed practice and placements;
teacher education and social work are two examples. Members should of course
continue with the supervision of such practice, but should not carry out any
formal assessment of students in relation to it. As far as giving feedback to
students is concerned, the same principle applies as described in the under the
preceding question.
Quality assurance processes are concerned with student
assessment are they therefore included in the action?
No. The action is a boycott of student assessment itself
and of its administration. QAA-related processes may well involve reviews of
assessment practices and methodologies but they do not involve the actual
assessment of students. So, to be absolutely clear: AUT is not boycotting the
QAA or institutional quality audit.
(8/03) Should we boycott university courses designed for staff?
Many universities run professional development courses for staff leading
to formal awards or qualifications and involving formal assessment. In principle,
they might be considered to be covered by the student assessment boycott.
These courses may sometimes impact on the career development of staff,
including
in some cases, their successful completion of probation. It is clearly
not the intention of our action to harm the interests of colleagues and members
with responsibility for such courses should consult their local associations
for further advice. The national executive committee would expect local
associations
to exercise some discretion in this area, depending on the circumstances
of each case.
(8/03) Are pre-entry courses included in
the action?
Some members are involved in the assessment of pre-entry courses, which students
have to complete as a pre-condition of entry to the university, for example,
language competency for overseas students or maths and English for entry
to teacher training courses. The assessment of such courses is not covered
by
the action. Our action is not aimed at preventing admissions which would
be a possible consequence of boycotting the assessment of these courses.
CALL-OUT COVER BOYCOTT
What is call-out cover?
Some members of staff, particularly some computer staff, are
required to be on standby to deal with problems that arise out of normal
working hours. We are calling on all members in this situation not to respond
to call-outs.
I am paid a separate allowance for call-out, does that
affect my ability to participate in the boycott?
No, so long as the arrangements, whether they involve a
separate payment or contract or both, are with the same employer as your main
employment you can participate in the action.
APPRAISAL BOYCOTT
What forms of appraisal are covered?
Most if not all academic and academic-related staff are
subject to an annual (usually) appraisal and staff development review. Whether
as an appraiser or appraisee, you should withdraw from all involvement in the
appraisal process. This should include refusal to process any of the
documentation surrounding the process, as well as refusal to attend the
appraisal meeting itself. It also includes boycotting of any training for appraisal (but not, of course, staff development
and training arising from appraisal).
As a manager, I appraise members of support staff, is
this included in the action?
We have called on members to boycott all forms of staff
appraisal. However, some members may be involved in appraising non-academic
staff (eg on Unison or Amicus grades) and the schemes for those staff may
affect their salary progression. We would ask members to use their discretion
in those cases. Our action is aimed at the employers and we should avoid
causing harm to individual colleagues in other unions.
Are reviews in relation to probation or the RAE
included?
No, probation reviews are part of the probation procedure
and are not covered by our boycott of the staff appraisal process. There may
be reviews of research performance in relation to the RAE taking place in some
institutions. There are often serious objections to be made about how such
reviews are conducted. However, unless they are clearly part of the normal
annual staff appraisal process, they are not covered by the action.
JOB EVALUATION BOYCOTT
What is covered by the job evaluation boycott?
This is intended to be a comprehensive boycott of any
involvement in the evaluation of the jobs of all categories of staff. Members
should refuse to participate in any aspect of any exercise which seeks to
measure or evaluate any staff post or provide any information which will be
used to evaluate posts.
Does it include job evaluation of non-AUT members of
staff?
Yes. Some AUT members will be involved as managers in the
job evaluation of non-AUT staff groups, for example, by sitting on job
evaluation panels or checking job descriptions. Members should withdraw from
all such work.
Job evaluation is a necessary prelude to the introduction of
the Framework Agreement and we must therefore aim to use every opportunity to
prevent its introduction or continuation as part of our industrial action.
REFUSAL TO COVER FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES
What absences are covered?
The reason for the absence is not relevant to the no-cover
action. Colleagues may be on sick leave, sabbaticals, jury service, attending
conferences or on maternity leave (to give just a small sample of the possible
reasons for absence). The principle is simple: continue to perform your own
duties (other than those covered by the other forms of industrial action) but
do not perform the duties of absent colleagues, whether this is teaching, admin
or substituting for them at meetings.
Does it include not covering in relation to vacant
posts?
Yes, a vacant post means an absent colleague!
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