We have also been told that as of this year we need to take attendance at all lectures and that this is explicitly because of UKBA compliance. I am very uncomfortable with this practice for a number of reasons, not least because of the logical conclusion of the practice - that someone might get deported based partially on the fact that I reported their non-attendance. And, yes, it sends the message that students should turn up in order to be 'counted' rather than because they think they might learn something, which I find damaging.
Best wishes,
Siobhan
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Siobhán McGrath, PhD
Lecturer
Lancaster University
LEC 3, Room B24
Tel.: 015 245 10353
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 12:02:52 +0000
From: Nick Megoran <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: attendance monitoring and the UK border agecny
Dear Critters,
My university introduced an attendance monitoring programme last September. My understanding is that this was a response to demands from the UK Border Agency that universities should be able to confirm that non-EU students on student visas are actually participating and attending, and concern that failure to demonstrate this could make it hard to grant visas. For my department this has involved a paper register passed round all lectures and seminars. This information is then collated by administrative staff. The university is currently devising a strategy for the next academic year.
I am emailing because I'd like to know what has been happening elsewhere. How have your universities responded? Have you run registers of all students at all lectures, seminars, etc? If not, what have you done? I for one would find this information useful as our university discusses how to move forwards.
And I am also interested in what resistance and critical reflection there has been. Has there been open debate, boycotts by staff or students, genuine consultation, etc? Has the data been used in other ways, for example passed to tutors for pastoral care to spot students in difficulty?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences here,
Peace - Nick
--
Dr Nick Megoran,
Lecturer in Political Geography,
Co-convenor, Northumbria and Newcastle Universities Martin Luther King Peace Committee,
Honorary Chaplain to Newcastle University,
School of Geography, Politics and Sociology,
5th Floor, Claremont Tower,
Newcastle University,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU.
Tel: 0191 222 6450
Personal website: www.megoran.org
Chaplaincy website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/chaplaincy/
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