(The statement below is my opinion and only my own. I know it does not apply to all University staff such as one who is related to me who not only teaches and supervises students but is also saving lives with his incredible medical work and dedication. He is a true hero to me. But this is what I HAVE experienced at my University and in my department).

I have had a rant before about University staff. I have probably mentioned them a dozen times but right now, I feel like I need to mention them again.

I might not graduate this summer.

No, it's not because i have failed my entire year *touch wood*
No, I have not got a terminal illness.

It's because my University lecturers are striking for higher pay and refusing to mark work after April 27th until they are given a pay rise.

They are NOT stopping their research in the mean time. This is the real thing that would affect universities and their rankings. Stopping their research would send a serious message to the education department, but no, this is not being stopped. The thing that is being stopped is that which hurts innocent others and also means the lecturers have to do less of the thing they enjoy least about their job. It's like the CEOs of different companies refusing to do any work and instead saying they'll just take people out for drinks and take business trips to other countries.

TWO lecturers have ever cared about me at University. Two have cared about their students results. This is because, unlike secondary school teachers, bad grades do not reflect badly on lecturers. This is because bad grades does not equal less pay or less holiday. It also will not stop them from taking a year off from marking student papers to go on holiday, sorry, 'sabbatical' is the correct term.

One of my lecturers takes thirty minutes of my two hour lecture off, smoking outside with the students, and giving those smokers better grades than the rest of us even when they do not do a single bit of reading for the lecture. This same lecturer also has not marked two of my essays that I gave him last term. So I guess the strike will not really reflect his marking methods. He never answers his e-mails and is never in his office during his supposed 'office hours'. So...well go figure. This is the worst of the worst I must add. Others simply do not care, are clearly bored, do not put effort into their lectures or simply reel of lecture slides they have used for years with no updates and no corrections.

They don't care. They don't care because there are no consequences to not caring.

Lecturers still demand they get more than teachers, however. Teachers work A LOT. Trust me. They are working all the time. Preparing new exciting lessons, trying to think of a different way to approach the same subject, marking work so they can give it back that week and wishing and trying to get their students the best grades they can. Maybe, one could be cynical and say this is because bad grades reflect badly on a teacher. But teachers are caring individuals. You get the odd dodgy one but on the whole, they care. They start to look after their students as if they are their own children.

And yes, part of me thinks this is English University lecturers in particularly. American University lecturers care about their students a lot more. Not as much as my secondary school teachers but more than my University lecturers. If I was to rank all of the teaching experience I have had it would be :-

Secondary School Teachers,
Swimming Coaches,
Spanish Salamanca Teachers,
American University Lecturers,
Primary School Teachers,
Tennis coaches,






English University Lecturers.

 I am in a top 5 University. I think I deserve a little more than lecturers who could not care three flicks if I got a third class degree or a first class degree. They DO NOT deserve a pay rise. They SHOULD get back to their work and what they are being paid to do. And they SHOULD ALL spend a week shadowing a teacher. Even a part-time teacher, because they will do more for their students than most lecturers. Lecturers could learn a lot from teachers. They would also realise how f'ing lucky they are.

Lecturers get LONG UNIVERSITY holidays.
Lecturers go on holiday as 'part of their job'.
Lecturers have minimum contact with students.
Lecturers don't get the blame for bad grades.
Lecturers get paid more.

Take a good hard look at yourselves....and be ashamed of what you've become. Most of you got to go to University for free. Nowadays, students are paying nine grand for your 'expert' teaching. Are you worth that much? Do you provide that much? Think about it.

(Footnote: the above opinion is my own and based on my own experiences. I know that my opinions do not apply to all).