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                           PRAXIS MEETING #1

                             Edward Wilson
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Table of Contents
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1. Info
2. Marking Boycott
3. SU/NUS reaffiliation
4. Action decisions
5. Admin decisions
6. Postscript


1 Info
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  Time: 3pm-4:20pm Date: 15.5.22 (Sunday) Location: Library floor 2,
  group study room. Attendees: 5


2 Marking Boycott
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  UCU are going ahead with the marking boycott. Vote happened around the
  6th of may(?), boycott scheduled to start on the 23rd of May (8 days
  from now).

  *What is likely to happen*: The boycott goes ahead on the 23rd ->
  University has made a plan -> The University outsources marking.

  *But there are more possibilities*:
  1. If the boycott does go ahead on the 23rd (most likely).
     1. University ’does nothing’, boycott goes ahead. Graduation
        (crucially in its administrative capacity) would be disrupted.
        University would get in trouble with rankings/Ofsted and some
        students maybe legally, things it cares a lot about.
     2. University makes/has made a plan to combat the effects of the
        boycott (most likely).
        1. The University outsources marking, either inter-department
           (depends on departments, would be harder with, say, SPAH vs.
           Law). Or to an agency.
        2. The University forecasts/predicts grades using some kind of
           algorithm.

  2. The boycott does not go ahead on the 23rd (least likely).
     1. University concedes to all UCU demands attached to the boycott
        before the 23rd -> UCU calls off boycott.
     2. The University concedes to some of UCU demands attached to the
        boycott before the 23rd (most likely) -> UCU calls off boycott.
     3. The UCU calls off the boycott without winning any demands before
        the 23rd.

  *What should we do in these situations?*
  1. If the boycott is called off as UCU has won some or all demands:
     Good! Demonstrates the effectiveness of the boycott and, moreover,
     UCU has won some demands.
  2. If the boycott goes ahead and the University either outsources or
     algorithmises as a solution: Bad! Make the case to students that
     the university is fucking them over. Argue against both outsourcing
     and algorithms.

  *In the meantime*:
  1. Create some kind of communique to clarify the situation for
     students (The SU hasn’t put out much info, neither has the
     University, neither has the UCU; we can be first) “The University
     doesn’t have a plan!”. Will include both up-to-date info and our
     position but also talks to students who aren’t totally on side.
  2. Continue to think/strategise and bring thoughts to the next
     meeting.
  3. Act as a ’touchstone’ between the students and the situation. Keep
     students informed even if they’re not on-side. Get ’middle’
     students on side by clarifying the situation, pushing the political
     point of it being in students’ interests too.


3 SU/NUS reaffiliation
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  K met with CEO of SU after the SU committee to reaffiliate. CEO (Craig
  Stephens) not happy to reaffiliate, said we can participate in
  national struggles w/o being part of the NUS. Usual arguments.

  Samira felt she lost b/c of support for strikes, we don’t agree.

  SU hasn’t technically got rid of its strike support motion, but
  basically a technicality. SU seems (as usual), lost cause.


4 Action decisions
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  1. E: to create a ’communication’ to students outlining the
     possibilities with regard to the marking strike, as discussed in
     the session. (Agreed by attendees).


5 Admin decisions
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  1. Next meeting schedules for next week, Sunday 22nd May at 3pm in the
     Library 2nd floor group study room.
  2. Invite people who were at the meeting to the discord.
  3. Agenda items for next week already submitted:
     1. E: Marking Boycott cont’d (will be a day before its set to
        start).
     2. K: Wyvern resurrection, place to put our statements and
        communications.
     3. C: Production of leaflets with same point as the communication.


6 Postscript
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  Thanks so much to everyone who turned up, and hopefully see you next
  week.