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9th October 2023

Students out of pocket and more occupations: University Round-up

As the academic year begins, the Mancunion looks across the country for the most interesting stories affecting students at other universities
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Students out of pocket and more occupations: University Round-up
The Arts Tower at the University of Sheffield, recently occupied by Sheffield Action Group. Photo: Neil Theasby

EXETER: Nearly one-third of students conned by scam tickets sold on popular Facebook resell page.

An investigation by Exeter University’s Exeposé paper found that 31% of students on popular Facebook page Overheard have been scammed when attempting to buy tickets through the group.

These schemes saw high-demand tickets being marked up by as much as 900%. One account recalled that the scam artist did not live in Exeter or attend university there.

Second-hand tickets are nothing new in the student community, but cases show tickets initially costing £2.80 bumped up to nearly £25.

BIRMINGHAM: Post-grads out of pocket as university fails to pay wages for campus work

Postgraduate students who work on campus at the University of Birmingham are being paid neither on time nor, in some cases, at all.

The Redbrick paper has reported that, when one student sent a complaint for not being paid for two months of work, the University gave them a £50 Amazon voucher in lieu of payment.

A University spokesperson told the publication that “teething issues” with a new self-service finance system meant that some students were not paid on time.

SHEFFIELD: Masked student group occupies university arts building

The Sheffield Action Group has begun occupying the Arts Tower at the University of Sheffield in a move reminiscent of the John Owens and Simon occupations by rent strikers in Manchester this year.

The self-described “queer youth-led direct action collective” is protesting the University’s financial links with companies involved in the arms trade, which they describe as “imperialist.”

The demonstrators claim that the University received £71 million from BAE Systems, Boeing, and other military-industrial companies.

CAMBRIDGE: Professor reported to have plagiarised student

An associate professor at Cambridge is reported to have plagiarised at least 12 pages of his student’s essay in a journal submission he made in 2018, a claim that has been upheld by a University investigation.

Varsity newspaper reported in late September that Dr William O’Reilly, who specialises in early modern history, had a complaint against him upheld by a tribunal in 2021. Following a two-year investigation, the tribunal ruled that the offence was “the product of negligent acts but was not deliberate.”

The student who wrote the essays told Varsity that he was “incredulous” when he found out the plagiarism was deemed negligent.

Dr O’Reilly denies the accusations made against him and says he used the student’s work as an “aide-mémoire” which he intended to re-write. Dr O’Reilly will be returning to his position at the University this term.


More Coverage

Financial boost for northern creative industries under government’s Create Growth programme

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer led the WeCreate Conference on November 13, launching the ‘Create Growth’ programme to support technological and financial development of the creative sector

Iconic Old Quad to be remodelled

The University has revealed plans to remodel the Old Quad area ahead of its bicentenary next year

The University of Manchester announces new environmental Master’s program

The new Master’s will focus on the social change needed to tackle the environmental crisis

Support for gender diverse students: Gender Expression Fund and option to add pronouns on Microsoft 365

Students can access a Gender Expression Fund, and add their pronouns on Microsoft 365, in two separate announcements which both aim to support gender diverse students