You’re supporting the marking boycott because a postgrad and aspiring lecturer said you should

A postgrad philosopher won a student vote to support the marking boycott – before admitting her pension is at risk because she’s also a tutor.

Starting this Thursday, lecturers will refuse to mark coursework, set exams, and hold dissertation meetings because of an ongoing row over retirement schemes.

Postgraduate Officer and part-time tutor Sorana Vieru proposed a motion to Student Council that all students should show solidarity with the lecturers going on strike this week.

Sorana hopes to be a Philosophy lecturer after finishing her PhD (Photo: Jamie Corbin)

The motion was passed, despite complaints from some of those present that the issue should be put to a referendum.

Nick Black, Disabled Students’ Officer, said: “The Student Council doesn’t represent the student body, most people have no idea it even exists”.

Despite this, the decision was eventually made that there wasn’t enough time to organise a uni-wide vote.

Sorana said: “We need a position as soon as possible.

“We are students, and have to show our support to the cause.”

However, as well as being a student, Sorana is also a seminar teacher and hopes to become a full-time Philosophy lecturer. Should the pension cuts go ahead, she stands to lose out on thousands of pounds.

Sorana (fourth from left) proposed the motion on behalf of all students

She told The Tab: “I see myself becoming a full-time lecturer in a few years, and obviously new starters like me are going to be the one who are hit hardest”.

Nick, who opposed the motion, said: “Postgrads like Sorana have a massive conflict of interest. Many of them are lecturers and will be affected by the pension scheme changes.

“Of course they want to get students protesting with them, it’s in their interest.”