Professor Graham Virgo announced today that pay deducted from striking staff last term will be allocated to a number of student hardship funds.
Following the period of industrial action in February and March this year, and having consulted with members of UCU and student representatives, the University has decided to allocate money deducted from the pay of striking staff to the following existing hardship funds:
- The Disabled Students Bursary Fund, which provides help with urgent needs where other sources of support are not available
- The Snehal-Patrick Memorial Fund, which assists with personal disability-related costs of wheelchairs users who are not eligible for social security funding
- The Charlie Bayne Travel Trust, which provides means-tested travel grants to enable disabled students to engage in educational travel
- The Central Childcare Bursary Fund and Childcare Support Fund, which provide additional need-based support to student parents facing childcare costs
- The Careers Service's Internship Bursary schemes, to provide additional financial support for undergraduates in receipt of a Cambridge bursary to undertake low-paid or unpaid work experience
- The Postgraduate Hardship Award Fund
Further discussion is ongoing about how other forms of hardship, not covered by existing funds, can be supported, including the establishment of a new fund for intermitting students.