The University and College Union initiated a national Marking and Assessment Boycott which came into effect on 20 April 2023.
Exceptional regulations were approved to allow the University to manage the progression of students and the conferment of awards where a student’s complete profile of marks was not available to the Progression and Award Board and/or where external scrutiny was not possible as a result of the planned Marking and Assessment Boycott by members of UCU.
These exceptional regulations are intended to provide an appropriate balance between the maintenance of academic standards and ensuring that students suffer minimum disadvantage as a result of the Boycott.
Where, following the deadline for mark submission during the main assessment period in June, a student had a missing mark for one or more assessment components, those missing marks were replaced by a Mean Level Mark (MLM). When actual marks become available, the principle to be applied will be that the highest mark achieved by the student in that component will be used (the higher of the MLM or the actual mark).
1.1 With the exception of Level 6 students who had marks available for fewer than 50% of their Level 6 assessment components, the MLM was calculated using all available assessment component marks (including provisional marks) for the student at that level.
1.2 Where a Level 6 student had marks available for fewer than 50% of their Level 6 assessment components, the MLM was calculated using all available assessment component marks (including provisional marks) for that student at Levels 5 and 6.
1.3 In calculating the MLM, there was no weighting applied between assessment components. The MLM was calculated as the arithmetic mean of the applicable assessment components. A mark of 0 (zero) was used in the calculation where the assessment component has not been submitted or attempted by the student.
1.4 Where the missing mark related to a referred item of assessment, the MLM used for that item of assessment was capped at the pass mark, in accordance with existing regulation 4.8.5.
1.5 The Coursework Assessment Regulations will apply as normal, and any late submission penalties will be applied to the MLM for the assessment in question in accordance with those regulations.
1.6 Once the MLM for each student had been calculated and applied to all missing assessment marks, the student’s module mark (the weighted average module mark) was then calculated as set out in the standard regulations.
1.7 These regulations were only applied to a student where all marks were available (including provisional marks) in modules with a total credit value of at least 80 credits. Students who did not meet this requirement will be required to wait until either the missing mark becomes available, or marks become available to reach the threshold at which point these exceptional regulations will apply.
1.8 These regulations were applied to a student only where the total credit value of modules in which one or more marks that were missing was no more than 50% of the total credit value of modules for which all marks (including provisional marks) were available.
1.9 Students who did not meet this requirement will be required to wait until either the missing mark becomes available, or marks become available to reach the threshold at which point these exceptional regulations will apply.
The table below illustrates the most common examples:
| Cohort | Total credit value of modules typically taken by June 2022 | Minimum credit value of modules for which all marks must be available | Maximum credit value of modules in which one or more marks are missing in order for these regulations to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2022 entry Full-time | 120 | 80 | 40 |
| January 2023 entry Full-time | 60 | 40 | 20 |
| Pre-September 2022 entry with referrals/deferrals | 180 | 120 | 60 |
1.10 The underlying principle applied when determining these outcomes is that a student will not be disadvantaged due to a missing mark.
1.11 Accordingly, where the MLM was applied and is below the pass mark, the student will not fail any component for which a mark is missing, but rather will (where the module is not passed) be deferred in that component at the next assessment opportunity. If a student does not take that deferral opportunity, the student will be referred or required to retake the module in accordance with the standard regulations.
1.12 When actual marks become available, the principle to be applied will be that the highest mark achieved by the student in that component will be used (either the higher of the MLM and the actual mark, or the highest of the MLM, the actual mark and the mark achieved at deferral if taken). The module mark, module result, and any progression or award decision will then be re-calculated accordingly and the standard regulations will apply.
Final Year students with missing marks who were otherwise due to complete
Where, following the deadline for mark submission during the refer/defer period, any final year student due to complete their studies who had a missing mark in a referred or deferred assessment component due to the Marking and Assessment Boycott, those missing marks were replaced by a Mean Level Mark (MLM), in order to calculate their award.
When actual marks become available, the principle to be applied will be that the highest mark achieved by the student in that component will be used (either the higher of the MLM or the actual mark). If the MLM is replaced with a higher actual mark, the module result, and any award decision will then be re-calculated accordingly and the standard regulations will apply. This means that marks (and awards) may go up, but they cannot go down.
Students expecting to progress to the next stage of their studies with missing marks/credits
Example 1: A student affected by the Marking and Assessment Boycott in the main assessment period who had a MLM below the pass mark, and as a result was offered a deferral, but that deferral mark is then missing due to the Marking and Assessment Boycott.
Example 2: A student not affected by the Marking and Assessment Boycott in the main assessment period had a deferral or referral, but the mark for that deferral or referral is missing due to the Boycott.
In both examples, the students will be allowed to progress with missing marks, provided that it is only the missing marks that are preventing them from reaching the normal progression threshold (eg a UG student who has passed 80 credits and has missing marks in 40 credits will be allowed to progress, but a student who has passed 40 credits, failed 40 credits and has missing marks in 40 credits will not be able to progress. That is because, regardless of the missing marks, the student has failed 40 credits, which is more than is permitted for progression to the next level of the course).
If the referred/deferred assignment was not made available due to the Marking and Assessment Boycott during the refer/defer period, students will be able to submit the outstanding work at the next assessment opportunity for that module (ie the next time the module runs).
If the referred/deferred assignment was set but not marked due to the Marking and Assessment Boycott, when the actual marks are submitted and that results in a Fail, students will exceptionally be offered another referral at the next assessment opportunity for that module.
If students subsequently fail that referral, they will be required to retake the module in accordance with the standard regulations, but the retake module fee will be waived for students affected by the Boycott.