Assist with actioning and finding a resolution to the following 10-point complaint raised by students accross BSc, MSc and Dpsych Psychology qualifications. the following complaint has been raised with GCU bia their complaints procedure, as well as being sent to the Principal of the University following failure to deliver on a promise of more information on the effects of strike action by the university on th 24th/25th september:

 

This is a formal complaint by all individuals attached to this email. It is regarding the impact of the ongoing industrial action.

 

Although the students of GCU support the staff in industrial action, the underlying dispute between the university and its staff is not the subject of this complaint. However, its consequences have had a direct effect on students’ education, finances, wellbeing and confidence in their academic and professional futures. The scale and nature of this impact have reached a point where students are entitled to request a clear account of what considerations were given to the foreseeable consequences of this strike action. Furthermore, students wish to know what measures were put in place to mitigate those consequences and what remedial action will now be taken to address the lost and disrupted learning, as well as the impact to student finances and associated support needs.

 

GCU publicly presents its academic framework to be of high quality and engaging for students, alongside a culture of support, caring and belonging interwoven with the highest academic standards that aim to “transform student lives”. The concern raised by students making this complaint is therefore not simply that individual decisions have caused inconveniences. Rather, it is that, over the last twelve months, in tandem with last week’s strike action, the university’s decisions and actions have become increasingly difficult to reconcile with the university’s own stated commitments to learning, partnership, responsibility and the “common good” mission.

 

Students have made significant personal, financial and professional commitments in order to undertake their programmes at GCU. They are entitled to ask how the university has balanced its institutional interests against the foreseeable consequences of its decisions, as well as what steps it will now take to ensure that students do not bear disproportionate consequences for circumstances which they have no control over.

 

As stated above, the industrial action has had direct financial and wellbeing consequences for students. A number of students party to this complaint travel significant distance to attend GCU, some of which travel for up to three hours in order to attend lectures and seminars daily. For students that cannot afford to relocate, attendance at GCU carries a substantial and unavoidable travel commitment. This relates but is not mutually exclusive to students’ decisions on employment, working hours and caring responsibilities. All of which have their own associated financial and personal consequences that must be balanced with university commitments. These considerations are compounded further for students of this complaint whose health conditions or disabilities create additional barriers to attending university, including increased difficulty, cost or specific arrangements to travel to campus.

 

This week’s strike action has therefore incurred unnecessary, but unavoidable costs to students due to scheduled teaching not being fulfilled by the university. This issue is not a simple inconvenience of a cancelled class. Rather, the issue lies in the financial and practical consequence of students arranging their lives around the university’s requirements, to then not receive the promised educational provision and support.

 

For example, students in the second year of the BSc Applied Psychology programme report that they were unaware that strike action would affect their teaching until arriving for a scheduled lecture on the afternoon of the 15^th of September. The students attached to this complaint wish to know if there was any formal communication issued, and if there was, when it was issued, what channels were used to inform students, and if the university considers that the communication provided gave adequate notice.

 

Another concern raised by some students is the extent to which they feel able to express criticism or raise concerns about the impact of the strike action without adversely affecting their relationship with the university or their academic experience. Whether or not these concerns are substantiated, the fact that students have reported feeling reluctant to raise legitimate concerns is worthy of consideration in itself. Students should be able to give candid feedback about the quality and continuity of their education without being afraid of adverse treatment in doing so. Students therefore ask that that GCU clarify what mechanisms and protections are available to students who wish to raise concerns about the impact of the industrial action or other institutional decisions on their education.

 

Students also request clarification as to whether, prior to the industrial action, the university assessed the potential impact on programme quality and the university’s ability to meet the academic and professional requirements associated with the affected programmes. This includes the university’s responsibilities relating to the requirements associated with British Psychological Society Accreditation in regard to Psychology undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral qualifications.

 

If such an assessment was undertaken, students request that the university explain what risks were identified, what mitigating measures considered and implemented, and what assurance can be provided that disrupted teaching has not compromised students’ ability to achieve the learning outcomes and professional competencies expected of their programme.

 

To summarise, in light of the events of the past week, students request that the university provide the following:

 

1. A clear account of measures taken to assess the anticipated impact of the industrial action on students’ education, wellbeing and finances.
2. An explanation of what measures were considered and implemented to mitigate disruption to teaching.
3. A clear account of the communication strategy for affected students, including what communications were planned, when they were issued, and the channels used.
4. An explanation of how the university has assessed the effect of disrupted teaching on assessment preparation and learning outcomes.
5. Specific assurance regarding the continued delivery of programme and professional requirements, including teaching requirements relevant to BPS accreditation
6. Details of what remedial action will be taken in respect of lost and disrupted learning.
7. Details of what support is or will become available to students who have incurred additional financial or other significant consequences as a result of disruption.
8. An explanation of what safeguards will be put in place to prevent further disruption from disproportionately affecting students.
9. Clarification of how students can raise concerns about the impact of industrial action without fear of adverse consequences.
10. A clear indication of how, and within what timeframe, the university intends to respond to these concerns and communicate its proposed remedial actions to the students affected.