Goldsmiths marking boycott set to begin this month over 'brutal' sackings

The boycott will cover all marking and assessment, including in writing, online, or verbally. It will also include any assessment-related work such as exam invigilation and the administrative processing of marks. UCU warned that graduations will be impacted unless the university resolves the dispute by halting its plans to cut over 130 jobs.

Alongside the boycott, UCU members will take other forms of industrial action including working to rule and boycotting processes related to management's 'transformation programme' of cuts.

The boycott follows an overwhelming vote for industrial action against the cuts, which would see more than a third of academics axed in the 11 affected departments in the schools of arts & humanities; culture & society; and professional studies, science & technology.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'We warned Goldsmiths that we will not allow it to bulldoze brutal cuts of this scale through, but despite our overwhelming vote for industrial action management has refused to listen. It now has two weeks to change course and avoid a marking boycott.

'The boycott will impact graduations and cause severe disruption. It is the last thing our members want to do, but the alternative is allowing the leadership team at Goldsmiths to abandon the university's commitment to the arts and turn a once proud institution into a shell of its former self. This is something we cannot allow, we urge vice-chancellor Frances Corner to stop this cultural vandalism and work with us to protect Goldsmiths' future. The ball is now in her court.'