Goldsmiths art students demand compensation after 21 weeks without teaching

Ten of the 12 tutors on the master of fine art program at Goldsmiths, University of London, have been on strike since early June. Students on the two-year course, which costs full-time UK students nearly £15,000 per year and international students £33,000, are now formally requesting tuition refunds.

The industrial dispute began in April when University and College Union members initiated a marking boycott over proposed job cuts. Management responded by deducting 100 percent of pay from participating staff. The union argued this action constituted a lockout. Following a formal ballot, a group of UCU members at the south-east London university entered an indefinite strike in early June. The action is now in its 21st week with no end date scheduled.

Florence Sweeney, a part-time student, stated that many fine art students have received virtually no teaching this term. She described the situation as a financial drain and reported that classmates have become distressed, anxious, and in some cases depressed. Some students moved from other countries, she noted, only to find they lacked proper welcome briefings.

At a student gathering on Friday, an international student told The Guardian that induction sessions frequently turned into discussions about the strike. The student said she was excited to start her studies but felt shocked by the experience on arrival.

John Carver, a part-time second-year student, suspended his studies after a departmental meeting at the start of the term. He praised the regular tutors but said the replacements brought in did not know the students. James Evans, an international student from the US, said visa and funding restrictions forced him to stay on the course. He reported receiving no marks last year and no feedback on projects from that time. This year, he said, there is no structure and barely any communication.

Joe Newman, co-president of the Goldsmiths UCU branch, said the strike responds to the scale and speed of management cuts. He said students were largely supportive and aghast when told the reasons for the action. The university stated that only 8.5 percent of staff are on strike, leaving most students unaffected. It said it offered compromises, including pausing compulsory redundancies, but will not drop pay deductions for the marking boycott.

A university spokesperson said the institution faces financial challenges and that continued disruption risks harming its reputation. The spokesperson added that the university is offering regular updates and meetings with schools to support affected students. MFA students remain disappointed with the level of instruction provided for the fees charged.