University of Manchester students experienced a number of significant disruptions to their learning before COVID began, most notably in 2018, and again in 2020. Both times, lecturers and other teaching and support staff were understandably fighting back against reducing pay and other poor conditions the University offered. Several weeks of lectures, seminars, advisor meetings and more were cancelled and in the vast majority of cases, no extra sessions were added or resources provided to cover missed material. 

The University of Manchester withheld staff salaries as a deterrent/punishment for those participating in strike action, leading to a saving of well over a million pounds sterling in both 2018 and 2020, yet despite this new (huge) tangible resource, the University of Manchester shamefully chose not to pay students back for their lost teaching time, despite the total loss being well over half an academic year for those hit by both sets of strikes. 

Instead of refunding what was purchased and not delivered, UoM claimed they would cover or reimburse the costs of graduation wear rental for those affected, and invest heavily into student welfare and wellbeing, improving services such as mental health support. The real result of this supposed injection of millions of pounds is negligible, and although the cohort of 2018 did indeed have their fees for graduation rental covered, graduates from the recently arranged graduation cohorts of 2020 and 2021 are expected to pay for these costs out of pocket. 

I have emailed relevant faculty members, as have several friends, and the University has declined to stand by their word. If you're reading this, please consider sending an informal complaint, and share this petition with others affected. I have found the promise in writing for the cohort of 2018, but could not for 2020 & 2021, although I know it was promised verbally by several senior faculty, if you have hard evidence of this please contact me so I can add it. 

Should all of the students hit by strikes not receive at least £45 worth of support and reimbursement from the university? Why does only the graduating year receive such a gesture, whilst our cohort years were hit by both sets of strikes? Considering the meagre result of the alleged investment into student wellbeing and welfare, the University of Manchester has clearly pocketed millions as a result of strike action, yet refuses to honour their own word and provide around £45 of support to those who could make a strong legal claim that they are entitled to be reimbursed 10 times this amount, £4500. We are asking the University of Manchester to do something that is the bare minimum, honour your own word, apply the same circumstances to all affected students, and as you have refused to genuinely make things right, at least stand by your word and cover all graduation wear rental fees for the entire graduating cohort of 2020 and 2021.