Today (14 February), the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, Kelly Coate wrote to all taught students. You can view the message below:

Dear student,

Last week, on 9 February, I wrote to all students to let you all know that there may be a chance that strike action by members of UCU could occur this week.

We sincerely hoped that the talks between the national trades union UCU and Universities UK and UCEA (the organisations that represent all universities in these national disputes) would lead to an outcome to ensure the strikes would not happen.

Unfortunately, these national talks did not avert the start of ten days of strike action over a three week period that is affecting our University and 67 others.

We very much regret that the strikes are happening and I want to again assure you that we are working hard to ensure you can achieve your learning outcomes. You may experience little or no disruption as a result of this industrial action. Others may find that some lectures and seminars are cancelled. For students who are impacted, we will be doing all we can to minimise this. It is our number one priority.

Please read the update and reminder below and on the Student Hub, to make sure that you have the latest information to hand.

The dates of the strike action are:

1. week 1: 5 days; Monday 14 to Friday 18 February 
2. week 2: 2 days; Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February 
3. week 3: 3 days; Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March 

Some classes have been cancelled but the majority of staff are working as usual and University services continue to operate well.
 

You studies

Here are a few practical things to remember about your studies during the strike periods:

1. Please continue to attend your sessions, unless you are advised otherwise.
2. If we know that a teaching session is not taking place, you will receive a notification on the relevant Canvas module and/or the class will be cancelled on Sussex Direct.
3. Please remember to regularly check Sussex Direct or Canvas to see if your lecturer has given advance notice that your class is not taking place.
4. UCU members don't have to let us know if they're striking. This may mean that in some instances we might not be able to give advance notice or cancel your lectures or seminars.
5. If you come to campus and your class isn't happening, you can use the time for independent study and The Library continues to be open as usual 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, other campus study spaces will be open as well as other campus services, such as sports facilities, cafés and bars.
6. If you had an assessment scheduled during the strikes you should have been notified by your School if it has been changed. If you haven’t been told of any change, then it should be taking place as originally scheduled.
7. Any assessments that were due to be handed in via Turnitin or Canvas with deadlines during the strike action remain unchanged, unless you have been told otherwise.

If you have a visa

Your visa status will not be negatively affected by strike action.
If any expected academic classes (such as lectures) do not happen because of strike action, this would not be your fault. We would make a record of this so it does not count against you.

However, it is important you come to campus as normal with the aim of attending your classes. If you do not attend classes which still go ahead you will then be recorded as absent. 
More about visas and immigration.
 

Picket lines

You may notice picket lines at the entrances to campus on any strike days that go ahead. These are made up of a small group of people supporting the strike. This is a usual situation in any strike action and you would not be stopped from entering the campus.
 

Travel to campus

Buses will be travelling to the University throughout the strike action.

Buses are not entering the campus between 6.30am and 3pm on strike days. During these times, buses are stopping just outside campus on the A27 slip road and then near Falmer Station.

For service updates, see the Brighton & Hove Buses website. We suggest you allow more time than usual to get to campus by bus.

Trains will run as normal on strike days. More information on train services can be found on the Southern website.
 

Accessible Minibus

A wheelchair-accessible minibus will be provided on strike days between 09:30 and 15:30.

The minibus will largely use the campus bus stops and will travel around the campus every 30 minutes. Please see a map of the route.

The bus is free to use and can be accessed by anyone with access needs.
Please show your sunflower / red lanyard or Helping Hands cards etc. if your disability is less obvious.

Visit the Student Hub

We’ve made sure there is a range of information available to you on the Student Hub. This includes a set of commonly asked questions. These commonly asked questions will be updated in response to student enquiries, so please look there first if you have any queries. Please also continue to speak to staff in your School office on any academic matters.

We will continue to keep you updated so please do check your University email account regularly.

With best wishes

Kelly

Kelly Coate
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students

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