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While the result of the University and College Union pensions ballot was awaited, the Office for Students published on its website ¡°Guidance for students affected by recent industrial action in relation to the USS pension scheme dispute¡±, to help explain how students affected by the strikes could take action.

In this, it says: ¡°Where lost teaching has had an impact on assessments or other work that has had to be submitted, you may be able to submit a claim for this to be taken into account as part of the university¡¯s mitigating or extenuating circumstances process. For instance, it may be appropriate to agree that deadlines for course work or dissertations should be extended.¡±

Soon afterwards, the regulator republished a blog on learning analytics (¡°Can automated student support information management systems provide equity of attainment?¡±) that the Higher Education Funding Council for England had published in February. That article urges providers to track student activity in detail to assist them in their ¡°learning¡±. This would include attendance at lectures and other activity making use of the ¡°contact hours¡± on offer.

A student making a ¡°claim¡± could be confronted with digital evidence of non-attendance at lectures and other ¡°learning opportunities¡±. Perhaps the OfS could publish another blog joining the dots?

G. R. Evans
Oxford

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