The students, members of the university’s Justice For Palestine society (EUJPS), have decided to abstain from food after months of trying to pressure the university into divesting from companies supplying arms to Israel.

The encampment began at midday on Sunday, following a number of similar large-scale encampments taking place in campuses across the country.

EUJPS made their initial announcement saying: “We have no choice but to turn to the most extreme form of protest, putting our bodies on the line to force senior management to face their failure to be accountable to their students.

“We refuse to uncritically benefit from education given to us by a university that has historically so directly contributed to the colonisation of Palestine through its close ties with Lord Arthur Balfour, and we refuse to be made complicit by our silence in the economic and academic support that our university gives to the illegitimate and genocidal state of Israel.”

@eu_jps via Instagram

According to EUJPS, the demands include: Divest from companies with ties to Israel, sever research collaborations, acknowledge genocide, denounce its role in the conflict, combat anti-semitism, pay reparations to Gaza, and provide scholarships to Gaza students.

One student taking part in the hunger strike, wishing to remain anonymous, said: “I am doing this hunger strike in protest of the unprecedented famine that’s now been enforced deliberately by the Israeli Government.”

The hunger strike is a reflection of the 1917 Balfour declaration that promised to help establish a national home for the Jewish People in Palestine, where 35 Edinburgh students set up encampments outside the former chancellor’s office, Arthur Balfour.

@eu_jps via Instagram

One activist applauded the group’s decision, saying: “You have organised and occupied and protested without the university acknowledging their complicity in genocide despite the physical ties to the Balfour declaration that started this entire occupation. You are incredible and we stand with you. Solidarity and respect.”

Principal and vice-chancellor Professor Peter Mathieson said: “We have very recently been notified of the intention of an unknown number of students to commence a hunger strike as an indication of their strength of feeling and determination around issues related to Palestine and Israel.

“Whilst we recognise their bodily autonomy, we appeal to them and others not to take risks with their own health, safety and wellbeing. We are in daily contact with the protesters to ensure they are aware of the health and wellbeing support available to them.”

Cover image via Instagram.

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These findings follow NUS Scotland’s Cost of Survival paper reporting that 52 per cent of students in Scotland have skipped meals at university due to financial difficulty, and 37 per cent considering dropping out due to financial difficulty.

With over 1,000 responses, the survey conducted by The Edinburgh Tab unearthed stories of constant financial juggling – students recounted various scenarios where they had to choose between buying textbooks or dinner, paying rent or enjoying a meal.

One respondent conveyed a moment of stark realisation when his bank card was declined, forcing him to return his intended purchase – a meal deal: “Card declined on a meal deal, so [I had to] put it back.”

Others described further severe financial distress, with one student explaining how they only had £12 in their bank account, intending to last them two weeks.

“Before my most recent rent payment I had no food and £12 to last me two week.”

Many students cited the high cost of living, including expensive groceries and rent, as a primary reason for their situation. One student said they had to eat only once a day because they couldn’t afford any more: “Currently having to skip two meals a day in order to pay rent, which has brought back past problems with food.”

Financial aid systems, designed to be lifelines, often fail to reach those treading water. Several students pointed out the gaps in the bursary system and the unavailability of hardship funds: “SAAS gave me no funding and uni refused to let me have hardship funding. Hunger.”

Another student’s stark admission was that despite not qualifying for a bursary, they still struggled without additional support from family, painting a grim picture of the support system’s inadequacies.

“I don’t quite qualify for the bursary, but I didn’t receive money from my mom to help with groceries in semester one, so I could only afford dinners every day – so only one meal a day.”

Food affordability on campus was another concern, with several students wishing for more affordable food options, as campus food is “just too pricey.”

“Food on campus is very expensive, and meal prepping is difficult with an intensive degree.”

Behind the numbers are the unseen battles with food insecurity that often go unspoken. A respondent shared their struggle with an eating disorder, exacerbated by financial stress, whilst another admitted substituting meals with sleep to stave off hunger.

“I was poor and deep in my eating disorder.”

“I’d just have sleep for dinner because I didn’t have enough money to buy groceries.”

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “We are acutely aware of the rises in the cost of living are having on our students and we have responded by enhancing the support available to help those most in need. We are providing emergency supermarket vouchers for students in immediate financial crisis. We’ve made it easier to access hardship funds by streamlining the application process and staff are on hand to guide students through this. We continue to monitor the demand for these funds to ensure that we are ready to respond to the challenges faced by our student community.

“Alongside our hardship fund, we offer a range of other support, including budget management assistance, laptop loans and affordable meal options at University-managed cafés.

“We encourage any of our students facing difficulties to get in touch with the Students’ Association’s Advice Place – who we work closely with – to find out what support is available to them.”

• Further details about the cost of living support available to students, including access to wellbeing support, is available via this webpage:https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/finance/cost-of-living-help
• Information on the University’s fund that supports students experiencing financial difficulty can be found here: Financial support for all students  | The University of Edinburgh

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LGB Alliance’s Fanshawe, who co-founded LGBTQ+ organisations Stonewall and Kaleidoscope, has in the past expressed critical views on self-identification and the LGBTQ+ community’s cohesion.

Simon Fanshawe’s election was met with mixed reactions from the university community, with a petition amassing over 280 signatures calling for his withdrawl, and an LGBT+ staff network at the university calling for the removal of the newly elected rector.

The controversy stems from Fanshawe’s past comments, which some have interpreted as being at odds with the values of inclusivity and respect for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.

Fanshawe has since responded to the backlash on social platform X, declaring: “Let me be absolutely clear. I do not and never have campaigned against the legitimacy of trans people.Please read what I have written. We need rigorous discussion on how we reach the best solutions for all. Just as we did for all those years in Stonewall which was pretty successful.”

A prominent figure known for co-founding Stonewall in 1989 and the international charity Kaleidoscope, Fanshawe has since taken a step back from both organisations and helped found LGB Alliance later that year when he and 21 other members voiced concern against Stonewall’s support of transgender policies, raising that allowing “primary school children to change their gender identity too quickly”, is “harming gay people and undermining women’s rights”.

In a 2019 interview with Holyrood Magazine, Simon Fanshawe expressed critical views on self-identification and the LGBTQ+ community’s cohesion.

“You can’t self-ID out of female genital mutilation – that happens because you are a woman…Stonewall has confused legal and biological questions with social identity and when you do that, you start to make bad law.”

He further criticised Stonewall’s stance on blending lesbian and gay rights with trans rights, arguing the LGBTQ+ community is “being bombed into an alphabet soup, which is grouping together a whole load of people who are vaguely in a sort of category which is vaguely about sex or sexuality or feelings”.

Speaking to Holyrood Magazine, Fanshawe said: “The Stonewall of today is undermining the rights of lesbians and putting women and girls at risk by ‘unthinkingly’ merging the rights of lesbians and gays with those of trans people through its ‘acceptance without exception’ dogma”.

The university community has voiced a range of reactions to Simon Fanshawe’s election, consequently, his election has not been without its detractors either.

Simon Fanshawe’s election against the backdrop of these policies raises questions about how the university will continue to uphold these values, in light of varied reactions from its community like “Ethel Weapon”, a trans graduate of the university, voicing dismay at Fanshawe’s election, labelling him as “transphobic”.

Conversely, Fanshawe’s election has been welcomed by some, including For Women Scotland, an advocacy group focused on “protect[ing] and strengthen[ing] women and children’s rights”, praising him as a valuable addition to the university.

Vice-principal and secretary of the University of Edinburgh, Leigh Chalmers, told the BBC: “We look forward to working with Simon.”

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Academics for Academic Freedom, a group advocating for free speech and academic liberty within the university, also praised Fanshawe, anticipating a positive influence on the university community.

“Congratulations and thank you to our incoming Rector [Simon Fanshawe]. We’re over the moon at this news, and we look forward to welcoming you to [The University of Edinburgh]. You’re the perfect person for the role.”

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “The Rector is nominated and elected by students and staff and is not an appointment of the executive or governing body of the University. All staff and matriculated students are eligible to nominate a candidate. Information about the timeline for the Rectoral elections and how to nominate was shared with all staff and students in December 2023, with a reminder in January 2024. Only one valid nomination was received by the deadline of 5th February. In accordance with the regulations governing the election process, Simon Fanshawe has been named as Rector uncontested.”

The Tab Edinburgh has reached out to Mr Fanshawe.

Cover image via YouTube.

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Data obtained by The Tab from a freedom of information request has revealed that seven such relationships were reported in 2019, with no disclosures in 2020/21 and fewer than five in each of the years following.

Prior to the introduction of the university’s Disclosure of Intimate Relationships Policy, established in February 2019, intimate relationships weren’t specifically recorded and tracked.

The university’s approach to these relationships has been one of caution rather than disciplinary action. None of the disclosed relationships were found to involve conflicts of interest, and no participants faced disciplinary measures.

While not wishing to interfere in the personal lives of its students or staff, the University of Edinburgh discourages intimate relationships between staff and students.

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “The University aims to provide an environment where everyone in our community can excel and thrive. We therefore have a duty of care to preserve the integrity of professional relationships between students and staff members, and between workplace colleagues.

“We do not wish to interfere in the personal lives of our students or staff, nor do we seek to prohibit intimate relationships between consenting adults. However, we also recognise that there are risks when one party is in a position of trust and authority relative to the other. In 2019, the University implemented a new policy to provide clarity around the disclosure of staff/student and staff/staff relationships to minimise these risks and help protect the wellbeing of all students and staff.”

Featured image via Matej Kastelic/Shutterstock.

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Data obtained through a freedom of information request shows the University of Edinburgh vice-chancellor’s aversion for economy travel as he chose to almost exclusively fly in business class.

Mathieson – who took 10 flights last year – spent £12,761.78 enjoying a lie-flat bed at the front of the plane, and just £476.91 in economy.

As staff continue to fight the university over ongoing pay and working conditions, UCU Edinburgh has taken aim at Mathieson’s extravagant spending.

A spokesperson for the union told The Edinburgh Tab: “Too much of the university’s expenditure goes on excessive remuneration and perks for top managers. UCUE advocates for more of the budget of the university to be spent on paying staff properly, particularly the lowest paid, and addressing the decline in real pay our members have experienced over the past 13 years.”

“The amount spent on the VC’s flights alone would have covered most of a PhD student stipend.”

In total, Mathieson embarked on ten plane journeys within this period. Further expense details include a total of £1,506.51 spent on nine nights of accommodation and £477.12 spent on taxis in the same financial year. The hospitality expenses for Professor Mathieson reached £2,700.49, covering 13 university business events.

Mariela Brown, a second year Classics student told the Edinburgh Tab: “Mathieson has proved time and again he would rather waste the time and money of his staff and students than be an adequate principal of a once great university. His cavalier disregard of people’s needs in return for his own comfort and luxury is unforgivable, especially given the state of the country right now.”

The data also reveals Sir Peter has been clocking up his carbon emissions. The principal spent only £276.71 on domestic flights and made no trips to Europe meaning the vast majority of his trips saw him travelling long haul across the globe.

In 2019, he told students he was “deeply concerned by the climate crisis” saying the university wanted to make a “significant, sustainable and socially responsible impact”.

Will Lewallen, a final year philosophy student, accused the vice-chancellor of being “utterly-insincere”

The Master’s student told The Edinburgh Tab: “Mathieson is on record saying they’re ‘deeply concerned’ about the climate crisis and that they can best help by ‘making sustainable choices’. But they buy land from locals and plant trees instead, when really they should stop flying business class around the world on student’s money.

“Don’t believe a word that comes out of senior management’s mouths. They do not have the interests of the climate, their students, and certainly not their staff at heart.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh University said: “The Principal is responsible for the overall operation of the University and as such represents the University at strategically significant meetings and events worldwide.”

However, UCU Edinburgh pointed out the university has begun providing “carbon literacy training” to a growing number of staff and students.

The union told The Edinburgh Tab: “Whilst this may have come in after Peter Mathieson spent nearly £13,000 on business class flights, there was a clear understanding that business class travel was supposed to be restricted to exceptional circumstances.”

An Edinburgh University spokesperson said in full: “The University operates on a national and international stage and this is reflected in all areas of university life. The Principal is responsible for the overall operation of the University and as such represents the University at strategically significant meetings and events worldwide. In addition, he supports the global alumni community, our network of international offices and is also closely involved in maintaining and developing relations with major supporters of the University.”

Featured image before edits via Shutterstock/M101Studio

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The boycott has been a source of anxiety and frustration for many students. Their academic accomplishments, usually recognised and rewarded through degrees and classifications, remain unverified due to a lack of marking, leading to uncertainty around the graduation ceremonies. Last week, the uni’s Vice Chancellor said up to 2,000 Edinburgh students will be graduating without knowing their marks.

Speaking at the commencement for this morning’s ceremony, for the Schools of Physics and Chemistry, Vice Principal and Professor Colm Harmon reflected on the unique and difficult circumstances the graduating class has faced.

Via Edinburgh University website

“The last few years have been different; you have had the most extraordinary experience of university in living memory,” Harmon said, speaking about issues such as the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

Harmon then acknowledged the frustration and anger felt by students, regretting the university’s inability to resolve the boycott issue before graduation.

“We know that some of you or your friends have not yet received the full credit for your efforts, and we still feel uncertain about any final degree outcome or its timing. I’m sorry we couldn’t resolve the issues in time for all of you for today’s graduation,” he said.

Via Edinburgh University website

There is a shared burden in this situation, with both students and faculty grappling with the outcome. Harmon quoted an anonymous academic’s social media post to illustrate this sentiment: “If a student or colleague has a problem I can help with, I always leap to do so. Not doing so hurts. Colleagues, students and friends being angry with us also hurt. Being angry at them for not seeing things our way is tough. It all adds up.”

Despite the tumultuous backdrop, Harmon assured students that the university prioritises resolving the dispute.

“We work tirelessly to resolve the dispute for you, it might take some time, but it is the total focus of everyone to do so, nationally and locally, to improve the circumstances of everybody here at the university. In the meantime, we will continue to support you as we can.”

The marking boycott, implemented by the University and College Union (UCU), is a pivotal aspect of its broader “Four Fights” campaign against the university. This campaign illuminates persistent issues, including unequal pay, job instability, unfair workloads, and a rising trend towards casualising staff roles. As part of this boycott, UCU members have refrained from setting or marking assessments, releasing results, or engaging in any activities related to exams or assessments.

This year’s graduation is a unique moment in the University of Edinburgh’s history. With unfinished degrees and classifications due to an unresolved marking boycott, all eyes are now on the institution and its efforts to resolve this challenging situation.

Featured image via the University of Edinburgh.

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The UCU’s boycott is part of the union’s broader “Four Fights” dispute against the university, highlighting issues of unfair workload, pay inequality, job insecurity, and increasing casualisation of staff. As part of the boycott, UCU members refrained from marking or setting assessments, releasing results, or participating in any activity related to assessments or examinations.

The university’s open day, traditionally filled with information sessions, campus tours and prospective student enthusiasm, morphed into a platform for protest. Staff members from the UCU were visibly present, using the event to draw attention to their dispute with the university.

Courtesy of UCU Scotland

The picket line outside of McEwan Hall caused a stir with prospective students and their families, who appeared visibly distressed by the tutors and lecturers protesting in Bristo Square, discouraging them from entering and handing out flyers and pamphlets about the union’s demands. This, however, did not deter many, as most families continued into the buildings, often opting to ignore the pamphlets given to them.

Speaking to prospective students, most said the strikes had not deterred them. Elle and Betty, two of the prospective students The Edinburgh Tab talked to at the open day, said the picket lines and protests have not deterred them from coming to the university. They said union members have received the attention they wanted, with the action deliberately coinciding with the one day hopeful students from across the globe have flocked to the university’s campus. 

Another prospective student, Ellie, agreed, saying the open day was meant to be a time to “promote and celebrate” the university and that open day was “not the best day” to protest strike action.

Another significant implication of the picket lines was their effect on the welcome talks. Whilst students attending the open day hoped to gain insight into their courses through the introductory lectures that the university holds, many were cancelled, with prospective linguistics student Amelia finding out her welcome talk was cancelled after she arrived on campus.

However, many talks went ahead, despite visiting students being forced to cross the picket lines. Amelia’s friend Hannah said she hadn’t been affected by any cancellations.

Edinburgh University, traditionally one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the UK, finds its reputation threatened by ongoing disputes.

Critics argue ongoing tensions between the university and its staff could discourage prospective students from applying, potentially impacting admission numbers and the university’s overall standing in future league tables.

Scottish television presenter and journalist Kaye Adams said she is “very disappointed” in the university’s attempt at a “half-open” day, going ahead without any talks due to the strikes.

The boycott culminated in protracted negotiations between the UCU and the university administration. The union has accused the university of not addressing their concerns, leading to the decision to escalate their protests.

The university, on its part, has expressed disappointment at the UCU’s decision to disrupt academic activities and says it remains open to constructive dialogue. “Pay and pensions are nationally negotiated, which is the system preferred by UCU”, it said. “We recognise the importance of partnership working with all three of our recognised Unions to continue our focus on the experiences of colleagues working at the university in areas where we are able to make improvements outside of the national negotiations. On many of the issues raised by UCU around casualisation, inequality and workload, we have already made important progress and we continue to strive for further improvements.”

In an interview, UCU Edinburgh member Dr Claire Duncanson said: “A far better course of action would have been for the universities to get around the table and talk about pay rather than pushing these devalued degrees.”

The events of Friday’s open day brought this ongoing conflict into stark relief, creating a ripple effect that could influence the decisions of prospective students as the final deadline to accept university offers closes today. As the dispute continues, the impact on Edinburgh University’s reputation could be long-lasting, putting pressure on the administration to resolve the matter swiftly and satisfactorily.

A spokesperson for the University of Edinburgh said: “Our open day has proceeded as planned. Regrettably, we had to cancel some sessions owing to planned industrial action taking place today. We communicated all known programme changes to attendees in advance and apologised for any disappointment this may have caused. The majority of our activities went ahead and we were happy to welcome prospective students so that they could learn more about studying at the University of Edinburgh.”

“Pay and pensions are nationally negotiated, which is the system preferred by UCU. We recognise the importance of partnership working with all three of our recognised Unions to continue our focus on the experiences of colleagues working at the university in areas where we are able to make improvements outside of the national negotiations. On many of the issues raised by UCU around casualisation, inequality and workload, we have already made important progress and we continue to strive for further improvements. We have been a Voluntary Living Wage employer since 2012 and we have not used zero-hour contracts since 2014. We continue to work with the UCU Edinburgh branch on reviews into fixed term contract use, our pay grade scale and our equality actions to reduce pay gaps.

“We have robust measures in place to reduce the impact of industrial action while maintaining academic standards. Many students will receive marks for their degree, or progression in their degree, as in any other year. Some students will be impacted by the boycott, and in these cases we may only be able to define a provisional award. For others, a decision regarding the outcome of their degree may be delayed. We have committed to ensuring that all marks are accounted for and once any missing marks are available, students’ results can only improve on their provisional grade. 

“The University continues to provide world-class education for our students, and a degree from Edinburgh remains as valuable as it has been for more than 400 years.”

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These grades will serve as a minimum guarantee, with the assurance that students’ final results can only improve once their work is finally marked.

Professor Colm Harmon, Vice Principal Students, acknowledged the stress that the boycott has placed on students.

“We are acutely aware that the disruption caused by the marking and assessment boycott is placing a high level of stress on our community,” he said in a recent statement to the Edinburgh Tab. He added that the university is finalising specific plans regarding the impact of the boycott, with the promise of reaching out to students with further information within the coming week.

Professor Harmon confirmed that despite the tumult, most students are expected to receive marks degree or progression for their degree as usual. However, for those impacted by the boycott, the university may only be able to define a provisional award at this time.

This decision follows Newcastle University’s announcement on Monday to introduce a “no detriment” policy, so students whose assessments are impacted by the boycott are able to progress with reassurance that their grades will not be seriously affected by the industrial action.

In the commitment to fairness and transparency, the university assured that all marks will be accounted for. Once any missing marks become available, students’ grades will see an improvement from their provisional status. This means that the provisional grades can serve as a safety net for students, ensuring that their final grades won’t fall below the provisional award assigned due to the boycott.

“This measure is in place to account for the impact caused by the industrial action,” explained Professor Harmon. This step will prevent the current situation from further undermining university students’ achievements and future prospects.

While the announcement of the provisional grades provides a semblance of relief, it has also highlighted the stark reality of the crisis that the University is currently undergoing. The move is to be met with mixed reactions: some students will be relieved that their academic progression won’t be stalled, while others frustrations continue to grow due to the lack of action from Edinburgh University in working with the University and Colleges Union (UCU) to find a resolution to the strikes.

As the University braces itself to navigate these complex times, it is clear that both students and staff members are eagerly awaiting a resolution to this standoff. The coming weeks will undoubtedly be crucial in determining the final outcome of this academic year at the University of Edinburgh.

Professor Colm Harmon, Vice Principal Students, said to The Tab Edinburgh in full: “We are acutely aware that the disruption caused by the marking and assessment boycott is placing a high level of stress on our community. Now that the assessment period has ended for most students, we are finalising specific plans regarding the impact of the marking and assessment boycott and will be contacting our students in the next week with more information about this. We expect that the majority of students will receive marks for their degree, or progression in their degree, as in any other year. Some students will be impacted by the boycott, however, and in these cases we may only be able to define a provisional award. We have committed to ensuring that all marks are accounted for and once any missing marks are available, students’ results can only improve on their provisional grade. The University has in place mitigation measures to account for the impact caused by the industrial action.”

However, this was then followed by the swift deletion of comments and disabling of the feature only hours after the university published the video.

Before the comments were removed from VP Harmon’s video, commenters quickly criticised the university’s inaction in helping resolve the UCU’s marking and assessment boycott, with one student saying: “Stop saying you’re sorry for the disruption if you’re not doing anything about it. The university has the means to pay its staff a fair wage and chooses not to. You can end this, but you won’t, so what’s the point in videos like this?”

The UCU’s marking and assessment boycott is part of broader industrial action taken by university staff across the UK, expressing dissatisfaction over pay, pensions, and working conditions. The boycott has lecturers and academic staff withholding students’ marks, causing immense worry among students, particularly those at the cusp of graduation.

Addressing the action the university has taken to resolve strike action with the university’s staff, Professor Harmon said: “The university is continuing to try to find ways to bring this to an end by making appeals to staff directly.” This reassurance comes after the UCU rejected the university’s offer to reimburse striking staff for the pay (50 per cent) they had docked in April if they agreed to mark graduating students’ work.

However, another student commented: “The staff are what makes this university run, not property values or flashy marketing campaigns – it would be nice if the students weren’t being embarrassed by the university for being so unfair. The quality of teaching should be reflected in pay and job security – if we are competing internationally in quality, surely we should be competing in employee satisfaction too.”

Although some commenters took a more sarcastic tone to the university’s response to the unfurling situation, one commenter said: “Thank you good sir, it is utterly unacceptable that these people are striking. Their pay should be withheld COMPLETELY and they should banned for life from participating in academia. The only reason this university hasn’t slid down the world rankings is because of PROF SIR PETER MATHIESON.”

Yet, these comments were short lasted, as the university removed and disabled all existing and future comments from the video just hours after publication.

In the video, Harmon stated: “We realise this uncertainty is really worrying for some of you. If you’re concerned about your health and well-being or that of someone you know, please reach out. There’s a range of support available. We promise to keep you updated as the situation evolves.”

The already compromised promise to listen and support students and their mental health, however, may not come as much of a surprise. Earlier this year, the Edinburgh Tab reported that 59 per cent of Edinburgh students’ mental health deteriorated since coming to study at the university.

Students and staff at the University of Edinburgh are bracing for further tension with no immediate resolution to the UCU’s marking and assessment boycott as the university continues to dock pay from striking staff in the coming months. How the university management will steer through this crisis remains to be seen. Still, one thing is clear: open and ongoing dialogue with all parties, especially the students caught in the crossfire, will be critical.

In the video, Professor Colm Harmon said in full: “You’ll know by now that industrial action is taking place across some UK universities, including Edinburgh, in the form of a marking and assessment boycott. We know the worry this is causing after an already stressful exam period. We want you to know that we’re doing all we can to resolve this; it’s unfair that you, our students, have been caught up in a national dispute.

“Although the boycott is part of a UK-level strike action by the University and College Union, we’ve tried to resolve it locally to limit impact. We decided to deduct 50 per cent of pay from staff participating in the strike. To try and avoid any delayed graduations, we proposed to the union that we’d reverse this if staff mark the work of graduating students. We were initially hopefully the Edinburgh branch of the union would consider this offer, but sadly, it was rejected on a national level. The university is continuing to try to find ways to bring this to an end by making appeals to staff directly.

“We’re trying to give you certainty around your progression or final awards. We’ll provide more detailed communications in the coming weeks. We realise this uncertainty is really worrying for some of you. If you’re concerned about your health and well-being or that of someone you know, please reach out. There’s a range of support available. We promise to keep you updated as the situation evolves.”

The full video can be found here.

The University of Edinburgh has been approached for comment.

Featured image via the University of Edinburgh.

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This proposition follows the announcement last week that the UCU has pushed for a nationwide marking and assessment boycott as part of national industrial action, meaning that dissertations and coursework for all year groups may go unmarked. 

The industrial action and boycott are rooted in ongoing disputes over pension reforms, wage disparities, casualisation, and a perceived increase in staff workload. 

Unsurprisingly, the potential of dissertations and coursework going unmarked has created anxiety among students. One student confessed to the Edinburgh Tab, feeling “completely powerless” in the face of the situation.

So, what does Edinburgh’s proposition mean? The university proposed to the UCU Edinburgh branch that “colleagues participating in this action would not have 50 per cent of their pay withheld if they agreed to mark and assess the work of graduating and final year students. Our proposal includes the final work for postgraduate students and those students who must meet specific conditions to allow them to progress in their degree.”

This proposal looks to lessen the potential impact of the strike action on students’ academic performance and progress while also easing the pay concerns of the striking staff.

After hearing the university’s proposition, the UCU has decided to put it to a vote among its members. This move ensures that those most affected by the proposal – the staff members – get a say in the decision that could shape their pay and the future of their protest.

In a move that could alleviate some financial woes for the striking staff, the university has offered to put a pause on withholding 50 per cent of the pay from those who participated in the April boycott. That means the full salary for April will land in the bank accounts of those participants in May, which might ease some of the financial stress caused by the strike.

But it’s not just about the money. This move is also a nod of recognition to the hardships caused by the strike, financial and otherwise.

The university’s proposition follows an outcry from students across the university, as well as an open letter signed by almost 500 staff members regarding the ongoing threat to academic standards.

An official statement from the University of Edinburgh stated: “While the marking and assessment boycott is part of industrial action taken on a national level by UCU, we are keen to find a local resolution which limits the impact on our students.”

However, this fresh approach from the Uni isn’t hitting the right note with everyone. Some staff members have expressed disappointment with the new proposal, questioning the fairness and efficacy of the university’s offer.

They’re not buying the Uni’s middle-ground suggestion, arguing that it’s more of a “meet us in the middle, but we’re still on our side of the fence” kind of deal. They view it as a “too little, too late” response, highlighting that it’s about more than just the money – job security, fair wages, and reasonable workloads matter too.

The university’s official statement touched on the toll of the situation, saying: “Although the proportion of colleagues participating in this boycott is low, we acknowledge it places a high level of stress on our community, particularly final-year students. We will continue to engage in conversations with UCU Edinburgh in the hope that we can find a resolution that is agreeable to all sides.”

As members of the UCU prepare to vote, the university community waits with bated breath to see if this proposal can pave the way to a resolution everyone can get somewhat on board with.

A spokesperson for the university said: “While the marking and assessment boycott is part of industrial action taken on a national level by UCU, we are keen to find a local resolution which limits the impact on our students. For this reason, we proposed to UCU Edinburgh that colleagues participating in this action would not have 50 per cent of their pay withheld if they agreed to mark and assess the work of graduating and final year students.

“Our proposal includes the final work for postgraduate students and those students who must meet specific conditions to allow them to progress in their degree. We appreciate UCU Edinburgh engaging further in this conversation and their agreement to ballot their members on our proposal. In recognition, we have paused the withholding of 50 per cent of pay for April participation in the boycott. Full salary will be paid to April participants in their May salary. Although the proportion of colleagues participating in this boycott is low, we acknowledge it places a high level of stress on our community, particularly final year students. We will continue to engage in conversations with UCU Edinburgh in the hope that we can find a resolution that is agreeable to all sides.”

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