Cardiff Uni will not be offering student refunds over the strikes

As the University and College Union (UCU) enter their third week of strikes, Cardiff University have told The Tab Cardiff they will not be offering refunds to students missing out on their contact hours.

Instead of returning tuition fees to students, the university have agreed to instead enforce other solutions to the loss in learning such as extending assignment deadlines, adjusting coursework and exam criteria, and rescheduling contact hours missed where deemed necessary.

A Cardiff University spokesman told The Tab Cardiff: “Measures will include re-scheduling or using alternative methods for delivering learning opportunities and possible, consideration of variations to assessment and where appropriate the application of extenuating circumstances at all Examining Boards.

“The University has agreed to reschedule assessment submission dates that fall on a strike day where possible and/or appropriate. Schools are also being asked to adjust assessment tasks and examinations, where this is possible and appropriate. Schools will provide information to students about any changes to assessment modes or deadlines."

It was announced over the weekend that King's College London would be giving the money saved from striking lecturer's salaries to the students affected.

Cardiff University believe however that students still have the ability to achieve their desired grade despite strike disruption, so refunds are not yet necessary.

The Cardiff Uni Spokesman adds: “The point at which a student may seek to claim compensation would be at the end of the Academic Year following the application of the above measures.

"A student wishing to pursue a complaint and claim will need to demonstrate that the University has failed to take reasonable steps to provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate achievement of module and programme learning outcomes.

"Our priority is to ensure that all students will have opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes attached to their programmes and modules of study. We have already taken a number of steps to minimise the impact of strike action."

It has also been announced that Cardiff University staff who are not rescheduling their lectures and seminars onto non-strike days will have their pay cut even more, despite already losing a day's wages every time they choose to stand on the picket line.

Currently one of the most punished universities, lecturers at Cardiff can lose a whole day of pay for every class not rescheduled.

Continue to show support by attending picket lines and signing the petition.