Omg guys! The university marking boycott is officially over

It’s time to get the drinks in because the university marking and assessment boycott is officially over!

Today, The University and College Union (UCU) confirmed that the marking and assessment boycott, which began on Thursday 20th April 2023 has finally ended.

The boycott meant that striking staff would not complete any marking of exams and essays leaving thousands of students graduating without marks.

With the boycott over, this means that staff will resume the marking of students’ work and students’ (including those who have now graduated without marks) will begin to get their marks back.

In advice to staff about the end of the boycott, UCU said: “When the marking and assessment boycott ends, you should return to working normally on your marking and assessment.

“If you are given what you consider to be an inappropriate or unreasonable instruction to speed up marking and assessment in order to ‘beat’ the marking and assessment boycott, you should contact your UCU branch.”

The boycott has had an enormous affect on students across the country. The Tab found that over two thirds of students’ mental health had worsened as a result of the marking boycott. One Durham student told The Tab she was experiencing heart palpitations and panic attacks due to not knowing whether she passed or failed her exams.

We saw international students forced to leave the UK due to visa problems after the boycott, students losing places on prestigious grad schemes, students recieving blank degrees and protests at graduations across the summer as a result of the boycott.

But it’s not all good news. Now the boycott is over, five more days of strike action has been confirmed at 140 UK universities for the start of the term.

Lecturers will strike from Monday 25th to Friday 29th of September, coinciding with the start of term at many universities.

Featured image before edits via Ceri Breeze/Shuttershock

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Five days of strikes have been confirmed at 140 UK universities for the start of term

• Over two thirds of students’ mental health has worsened as a result of the marking boycott

• Protests and fake degrees: Everything that’s gone down at this summer’s graduations so far