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Exeposé THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987
Should we stay or should we go?
10 November 2014 • Issue 630 • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose • Free
Lecturers to boycott marking Hannah Butler and Emily Leahy News Editors
• Students to decide on whether to remain in NUS • Concerns raised after vote postponed Hannah Butler News Editor EXETER students will vote on whether the Students’ Guild should remain affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS) in December, but not until after the NUS has decided whether to condemn Isis. In a meeting on 5 November, the Guild Council resolved to let students decide whether Exeter remains a member of the NUS, but also postponed the vote from Week 11 to Week 12 - much to the frustration of the vote’s proposer. Third year Economics and Politics student Charlie Evans originally submitted the Student Idea to hold “a student vote on continued membership with the NUS (in week 11).” While stating that the Idea was
“triggered by Isis-gate” – the NUS’ refusal to condemn Isis in October Evans stressed that this was not the only reason behind his call for a vote, commenting: “holding an open, transparent and democratic election […] on Exeter’s NUS membership is absolutely in the best interests of students.” He continued: “Disillusionment has set in for a long while,” asking during the meeting: “How can an NUS president who never went to university represent students in the best way?” Numerous comments in support of disaffiliation were posted on the Ideas page. Thomas Chapman stated: “it is clear [the NUS] no longer represents the views of so many students,” while another student commented: “Refusal to condemn Isis? #NotInMyName.”
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Photo: Edwin Yeung
Features
Lifestyle
“Technically I died at the scene.” Exeter’s Paralympic hope on life after (near) death
Screen
“I’d be his mysterious girl.” The Sabbs play ‘snog, marry, avoid’
“It became a mighty empire.” Aardman’s Peter Lord on animation
Pages 10 & 11
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Page 20
EXETER was one of 69 universities across the UK to see the start of a marking boycott last Thursday, in the wake of ongoing pension rows with the University and College Union (UCU). On Thursday 6 October, UCU members across the country launched a boycott of marking work, returning marks and setting or sitting exams and coursework, after continuing disputes over proposed changes to staff pensions. UCU currently has 658 members at Exeter and told Exeposé: “we estimate that we have a density of around 60-70 per cent of full-time lecturers in membership.” It is understood that UCU members could choose whether or not to follow the boycott. Back in February, a similar boycott saw Exeter graduations endangered as members of UCU, Unison and Unite rejected the one per cent pay rise offered to university staff. Members threatened to refuse to mark final exam papers and dissertations over the summer if the dispute was not resolved by 28 April. However, a two per cent wage increase offered by the University and College Employers Association saw the boycott postponed until 6 May – and then cancelled completely after 84 per cent of UCU members...
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