Education students at Goldsmiths have requested a 25% refund after almost three weeks of disrupted classes as industrial action reaches over three months.
On Friday, students on primary and secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses – paying at least £9,790 – at Goldsmiths, University of London, sent a letter requesting a 25% refund on tuition fees to senior university management.
In Friday’s letter, students raised concerns about Goldsmiths’ support amid ongoing strike action, including delays in student finance, poor communication, inadequate teaching and essential modules being cut.
The Students’ Union (SU) Education Officer, Matilda Bilon, 21, said: “Students are being heavily affected.
“It’s like a ticking clock, because there are hundreds of students that haven’t been able to enrol for the next year. There is a complete state of uncertainty right now.”
A spokesperson from the university said Goldsmiths had taken a range of actions to ensure students are supported and to maintain academic standards and quality, including email communication and a dedicated industrial action webpage.
A drama student, Scott Radburn, 22, said he was not aware of an industrial action webpage and could not recall receiving email communication regarding the strikes.
According to Bilon, support from the university is ‘not working’.
Bilon said some students who have not received marks cannot access their bursary funding or student finance, while postgraduate students are uncertain about graduation.
The marking and assessment boycott began on 27 April organised by the Goldsmiths University and College Union (UCU), after the University proposed the Future Goldsmiths plan – a £22million cost-cutting proposal.
University management then imposed a 100% pay deduction on staff taking part in the boycott, after which Goldsmiths UCU escalated its action to an indefinite strike starting on 8 June.
Goldsmiths UCU co-president, Joe Newman, said: “We have a critical mass of staff who are causing significant disruption.”
And, Newman said ‘thousands of assessments’ remain unmarked.
The university could not comment on the specific number but said: “A significant proportion of marking has been completed.
“Where students are without marks, we are doing everything we can to help them progress.”
Despite the disruptions, Bilon said: “Students are overwhelmingly in support.
“The planned cuts would be devastating, because the courses that make the University special and bring students to Goldsmiths are being removed.”
Future Goldsmiths is the third restructure in five years, with the UCU sending a FOI (Freedom of Information) request revealing more than £14million was spent on consultants between 2019 and 2026.
Goldsmiths was contacted for comment on its consultancy spend and said: “The university sector is going through a period of significant challenge.
“We are taking proactive action to secure Goldsmiths’ place as one of the world’s leading creative universities.”
Part of the plans to save costs, separate from Future Goldsmiths, is a proposed £200,000 cut to the SU budget, equivalent to 20% of the annual budget.
Bilon said this would mean fewer advice services and cuts to sports and society funding.
The dispute remains unresolved as the new Vice Chancellor’s first offer was rejected on Friday by Goldsmiths UCU.
Staff will return to the picket line as induction begins next week.
Featured image credit: Abigail Imas
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