Lancaster University confirms students’ work will be marked amidst transcript confusion

Lancaster University has confirmed that despite the current UCU Marking and Assessment boycott, students’ work will be marked.

In an email sent to students on Thursday,  the university responded to confusion over “administrative terms” such as “set aside”, or “excused”, which some students have found in their Interactive Transcript.

University Academic Dean Professor Alisdair Gillespie explained that these terms are only present to allow the system to calculate marks, and will be removed “once marks are received”.

Professor Gillespie also reaffirmed that university’s no detriment policy, saying, “changes can only increase your overall marks and not decrease them, except where Professional, Statutory, and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) constraints prevent this”. More details on the policy can be found here.

The UCU Marking and Assessment Boycott has caused many students to be uncertain about the timing and potential marking of their dissertations and exams, particularly considering the recent release of some final-year results.

The boycott has been in effect since April 20th, preventing some exams and coursework from being marked.

In an email to students, the university provided links to information surrounding their policies, reinforcing that the university is “committed to marking all outstanding work affected by the marking and assessment boycott” and that it is aware of the “confusion over terms such as ‘set aside’ or ‘excused'” on students’ interactive transcripts.

The email expresses the university’s regret “for any confusion caused by the temporary use of limited terms available to them,” assuring students that “it does not mean that work will not be marked,” stating, “all work will be marked”, and the administrative terms are “a necessary temporary technical adjustment”.

Featured images via Lancaster University website and UCU Twitter.

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