UCU: Assessment boycott as a core part of our UK-wide strategy

Motion

Motion text: Conference notes:
1. Observing that the neoliberal university depends on data streams as never before, and is particularly vulnerable to their closure;
2. Recalling that in 2016 an assessment boycott at Newcastle University over the draconian ‘Raising the Bar’ targets-based performance-management scheme was spectacularly successful in winning the dispute after one full day of ASOS, galvanising students and their parents to pile pressure on university management over concerns around graduation and stage progression;
3. Noting that in recent ballots support for ASOS has generally been consistently high;
4. Recognising that not all members take part in a single activity at any one time, but holding that assessment boycotts are nonetheless one of the most powerful tools at our collective disposal.
Conference calls on HEC to mandate an assessment boycott as a core part of our UK-wide strategy for all branches in the four fights and pensions dispute, alongside the currently-tabled and future industrial action.