Lecturer strikes: Student with no grades could lose visa
- Published
Rei Takver is hoping to enrol on a journalism masters in London
A student affected by marking strikes says if her grades are not confirmed by the end of September her visa will be withdrawn.
Rei Takver, a Cardiff University student from the USA, has an offer to do a master's course in London.
But she needs her final results to confirm her place and extend her student visa.
Cardiff University said the majority of its students have their final results.
But a UK-wide marking and assessment boycott means that some students completing their degrees still do not know if they have passed.
Ms Takver was told earlier this month that marks for her dissertation along with other results would not be available, and without them she could not officially graduate.
"I'm trapped in limbo and there's a possibility that I'm going to be forced to go back to my home country, the United States," she said.
"[It's] no fault of my own, despite how hard I've worked and that I've turned in absolutely everything, because my grades just simply don't exist".
Ms Takver is a mature student who came to the UK to invest in a new career path in journalism, having taken out almost $40,000 (£30,555) in loans.
She said having to go home "at the last minute with no job, no plan" would be "devastating".
Her new university has received a letter from Cardiff University stating that she is expected to graduate by the end of September.
But if her grades are not confirmed by then, she said her visa and her place on the course will be withdrawn, meaning thousands in lost fees and a flight home.
Sophie Revell says she has been "caught in the crossfire" between unions and universities
Fellow Cardiff University student Sophie Revell is also still waiting for her final results.
She has just finished a three-year course in journalism, media and English literature, but has not yet received any marks for two modules.
She knows she has passed based on the results she has already received, but does not yet know the class of degree.
After weighing it up, she has decided to attend her graduation ceremony on Friday rather than deferring it until next year. But she said it will not be quite the same.
"It would be really nice to be able to stand up there and get my degree and get my scroll knowing exactly what I've earned," she said.
"But I thought I'd much rather graduate now and kind of celebrate with my friends and celebrate the fact that I've got through three years rather than waiting around for a bit."
She added: "I really support the situation that lecturers are in, I completely understand, it's just difficult to not have a tiny bit of resentment because of being caught in the crossfire."
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) in 145 institutions across the UK have been involved in the action, which is part of a long dispute over pay and conditions.
On top of the boycott, UCU members in Cardiff are taking strike action to coincide with graduation ceremonies.
Dr Andy Williams, from the Cardiff branch, said its members felt "awful" for students affected by the dispute.
"We've been fighting for five years now, and we exhausted all other options before employing the 'nuclear option' of an assessment boycott," he said.
"It's heartbreaking to see that our employers are still playing hardball in this way."
Cardiff University said it was "liaising with employers and other universities to ensure that as far as possible, our students are able to begin their careers or undertake further study".
A spokesperson said they hoped all final year students would "feel able to join us to mark the culmination of their undergraduate journey with us", but said they were giving affected students the option to postpone until 2024.
"We are painfully aware that those students who are affected are feeling deeply disappointed, worried and anxious," the spokesperson added.
While working to resolve local issues with Cardiff UCU, the spokesperson said the situation resulted from a national dispute which could not be resolved independently, pledging to get work marked as soon as possible.
'Held back'
Students in some other Welsh universities have also been affected by the marking boycott.
Ellis Matthews, 23, has not yet had his final marks after finishing a four-year degree in electrical and electronic engineering at Swansea University.
He is one of a small group of students on his course who have not yet received some marks.
Ellis Matthews says he is unclear about what will happen next with marking strikes
He wants to pursue a career in nuclear energy, but feels "held back" when he should be focused on applying for jobs.
"I've been working for this opportunity since I was 16 years old," he said.
"I've been working on power plants, I've been working at labouring jobs, everything I can to make sure that when I come to get my degree, that my experience is hopefully more unique than everyone else's."
He feels unclear about what happens next.
"Right now I'm in a boat that's in the middle of the sea, so there's nothing around me at the moment. That's how it feels."
Swansea University said it believed 10 of its students were affected by the boycott.
A spokesperson for the university previously said it was "working diligently to ensure that award outcomes are promptly confirmed for all students".
It said there were dedicated teams on hand to provide support and encouraged students to contact their faculties.
What about other universities in Wales?
Aberystwyth University said 99.8% of its students would graduate this week with their definitive degree marks.
The University of South Wales said it was "sincerely sorry that a small proportion of results" had been delayed. But its final year students have now had their results and "everyone that was due to graduate next week is able to do so".
Cardiff Metropolitan University, Bangor University and the University of Wales Trinity St David said all of their students would graduate as planned with final marks.
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