Marking & Assessment Boycott Guidance

What is a marking and assessment boycott?

A marking and assessment boycott covers all marking and assessment processes that contribute to summative assessment decisions for students/learners, whether final (i.e. graduation/completion) or interim (i.e. progression decisions).

Once the boycott is live, UCU members should cease undertaking all summative marking and associated assessment activities/duties.

How long will the marking and assessment boycott continue?

If the democratic bodies of the union decide to call for a marking and assessment boycott, it will begin on a date that is formally authorised by the elected HE officers and subject to legal requirements (specifically, at least 14 days’ legal notice to the employer is necessary).

The marking and assessment boycott will then carry on until the disputes are settled, or UCU calls off the boycott, or at the end of the industrial action ballot mandate (usually six months after the industrial action ballot closes).

What type of work is covered by the boycott?

The boycott covers all summative marking and assessment, whether expressed numerically or in any other form–in writing, via an online form, or verbally, of all assessed work e.g. coursework and examination marking, assessment of fieldwork, exhibits, practical work, scientific experiments, presentations, posters etc.

The boycott also covers assessment-related work e.g. exam invigilation; processing of marks; submission of completed marking through any university administrative procedure; assessment-related administration such as distribution of scripts/papers to be marked, organisation of/preparation for exam/assessment boards/meetings; attendance at exam boards/meetings. Many of the activities covered by the boycott will involve academic-related and professional services (ARPS) UCU members as well as academic staff.

What academic programmes or stages are covered?

All summative marking and assessment, at all levels, are covered in the boycott–undergraduate, sub-degree, and postgraduate–so it will include all taught postgraduate summative assessment; PhD final vivas and MPhil to PhD progression/confirmation vivas/assessments. It applies to all forms of higher education and professional training: full-time, part-time, or distance learning.

The assessment boycott is not restricted to final examinations or assessments which contribute to the award or classification of a degree, certificate, diploma or any other academic or professional qualification, but includes any form of in-course continuous assessment which contributes to decisions about the suitability of students to continue/progress with their studies.

The boycott will include traditional essay marking, but also any student work such as the assessment of projects and dissertations, laboratory and other practical assessment, performance (e.g. in music or drama), degree shows (e.g. in art, design, and fashion), and supervised practice (e.g. in teacher training, medicine, dentistry). Examination of dissertations and theses at postgraduate level, as well as vivas, are included in the action.

What about formative as opposed to summative assessments?

In the case of formative assessment which does not contribute to the award or classification of any degree, certificate, diploma etc., and which does not contribute to decisions about the suitability of students to continue/progress with their studies, members can provide general support but should not provide any feedback from which any mark for summative assessments could be reasonably deduced.

Is the assessment of staff (e.g. internal CPD programmes) covered by the boycott?

If the member of staff is a ‘student’ for the purposes of the programme, and the assessment is summative (e.g. progression related) then that will be included in the boycott. Most internal staff continuing professional development (CPD) programmes would not meet this criterion.

How can members distinguish between teaching and assessment?

Members are asked to make a distinction between teaching (tutorial or practical) which is not subject to, or part of, any marking and assessment boycott on the one hand, and the act of assessment itself. For example:

courses should be taught and lectures/seminars should be delivered
student attendance can be noted
coursework, where already set, can be collected in.

But members should not then:

set examinations or assessment questions
invigilate examinations
mark papers, essays, or projects
moderate papers, essays, or projects
provide informal guidance/feedback to students concerning their likely mark, grade or assessed progress of summative assessments, whether they may pass/fail
process marks–including marks generated prior to the beginning of the assessment boycott and marks which may be produced by non-UCU members
record any marks on paper, enter them into any online system, or communicate them to colleagues or students
attend or participate in any examiners’ boards or related meetings.

What should I do after the marking and assessment boycott? How should branches/members respond to proposals to alter assessment procedures and criteria in response to UCU industrial action?

When the marking and assessment boycott ends, you should return to working normally on your marking and assessment. Again, you should ensure that you give proper consideration and exercise due diligence in assessment procedures, and you should work to the standard custom/practice of the institution. If you are given what you consider to be an inappropriate or unreasonable instruction to speed up marking and assessment, or if you are given what you consider to be an inappropriate or unreasonable amount of marking and assessment, you should contact your UCU branch.

Should I advise my line manager or employer that I am participating in the marking and assessment boycott?

You are under no obligation to inform your employer/manager in advance as to whether you will be taking part in strike action or action short of a strike. UCU will have provided your employer with all the information about the action required by law.

If you are asked about whether you are participating in ASOS including the marking and assessment boycott, you should respond only in terms of what action you have taken/are currently taking, but not answer about future intentions regarding ASOS. This will mean that employers will need to keep checking for confirmation as to whether or not you have participated in ASOS and what forms of ASOS you have participated in and when. If you are asked directly whether you participated in ASOS in the past or are participating in it now (whatever the timeframe, be it last week, yesterday, or today) you should respond truthfully, but you should not declare your intentions regarding future action.

What should I do if I am asked by my line manager or employer to cover a duty which is part of the marking and assessment boycott?

You should seek the instruction in writing (e.g. email) and then respond as follows:

‘I am unable to attend this meeting / mark these scripts / invigilate this exam because I am taking part in UCU’s lawful industrial action in the form of a marking and assessment boycott. I am continuing to perform all my normal duties other than those affected by the marking and assessment boycott and any other lawful action short of strike / industrial action currently called by my union.’

Should I attend committees/meetings to investigate plagiarism or hear student appeals?

No, as the committee will award or confirm students’ marks/grades then this is clearly covered by the boycott of all marking and assessment-related activities.