Message from Lindsay O'Dell re the UCU strike Feb/Mar

Message from Lindsay O'Dell, Graduate School Director

Dear research students,

As you may know the University College Union (UCU) has planned 14 days of industrial action over a four-week period from Thursday 20 February until Tuesday 10 March. Information about the strike is available here: https://openuniv.sharepoint.com/sites/oulife/Pages/Formal-Notification-of-Industrial-Action-2.aspx

What this means for research students working on campus during this period: Members of UCU may stand (picket) outside their place of work to explain to those entering why they are striking and to try and persuade others to join the strike (only members of UCU can strike). Please be assured that whilst they may wish to explain the industrial action, or offer you a leaflet, colleagues on a picket line will treat you with courtesy and respect. If you do not feel comfortable crossing the picket line, you can talk to your supervisor, ahead of the strike action, about working at home in accordance with your research needs.

What this means for all research students: If your first supervisor is taking industrial action you can consult another member of your supervisory team if they are available. If you had a supervisory meeting scheduled and this is cancelled you should rearrange a new meeting with your supervisor as soon as possible after the strike days.

If you have a viva scheduled your faculty will have let you know whether the examination is going ahead or is likely to be postponed. If it is postponed it will be rescheduled for as soon as possible after the end of the strike.

It is not clear what aspects of Graduate School provision will be affected over this time period, but as always our top priority during industrial action is to minimise the impact for all of our students wherever we can. We are asking event providers whether they believe events will go ahead  and where we are aware that sessions have been cancelled these have been noted in the GSN.

If you have any questions about this please email [email protected]​; FAQs will be answered in the thread below.

Best wishes,

Lindsay

Lindsay O’Dell, Graduate School Director