Three strikes and you’re out – that’s the current rule for students at the University of East London (UEL).
If you miss three sessions, you are considered for module de-registration. If you are ten minutes late, if the lecturer cancels the lesson, if there is a faulty card reader or if you aren’t properly enrolled, you are classed as absent. This is completely unfair and draconian.
The policy is part of a series of attacks by university management – £9,000 fees, sky-high rents and privatisation.
Lecturers at UEL have already taken strike action against changes that would see their workload increased and students getting a worse education.
The attendance policy could be used against students supporting our striking lecturers. This is outrageous! It is our democratic right to strike alongside workers.
This is why Socialist Students is campaigning to abolish the unfair attendance policy. We feel that students should not be penalised if their train is late, they get stuck in a traffic jam or if a student is ill.
The only way we are going to get rid of the unfair attendance policy is if we fight it! Management isn’t going to give in to us no matter how nicely we ask.
We have to get organised and protest and take coordinated action with lecturers and support staff alongside us.
Socialist Students is initiating a campaign which has met with a lot of enthusiasm from students on campus.
The launch meeting on Wednesday 1 November will discuss organising protests and whether a boycott of the policy would be feasible.