We want the University of Sheffield to reimburse all students for the teaching/learning time lost due to the planned strikes. Above all, we want the University to listen to the demands of the strike and work with the UCU to find a solution to the threats that our lecturers currently face: huge increase in their pension contributions, growing high workloads, the gender pay gap, and the casualisation of contracts.
 
As students, we support our lecturers who choose to take industrial action to protect their – and our – futures and interests. However, we feel that the University of Sheffield should compensate us for the fact that we are missing time from our education as a result of the University's attitudes towards its staff.
 
We think that it is only fair that the University compensates students for these eight days lost, though how much may depend on the amount a particular student pays. For example, based on £9,250 a year tuition fee, with the strike lasting for the full eight days, a student is set to lose around £490. And so, this student should be compensated £490.
 
We have not come to the university for a simple piece of paper, but rather to learn. These eight days severely overlap with the bulk of many of our autumn assignment deadline periods. These are critical days during which the advice and guidance of our teaching staff are most needed. By refusing to treat staff with respect, the University is depriving us of the opportunity to achieve those high standards of excellence which are supposed of its students. Furthermore, we are losing the time in which our lecturers ought to be challenging us intellectually. Especially when it is already difficult with the university accepting more students each year and not hiring enough of new lecturers, and what is worse, not developing a supportive environment for academia.
 
We strongly encourage the University to take action and do everything in their power to stop the paralysation of academia.  However, if it is not possible, then we believe that compensating students for these lost eight days is the least the University should do.