News / University of Bristol
Protesters call for boycott of university attendance system
Protesters have urged students at the University of Bristol to boycott their attendance system.
Around 15 students unveiled banners at 12.30pm in the University of Bristol’s (UOB) Senate House on Monday, protesting the university’s attendance check-in app.
The group known as the Bristol Leftist Collective, are demanding that the university cease to use the system citing its so-called “invasive nature and manifestation of UOB’s complicity in the genocide and occupation of Palestine.”
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Students held three banners from the upper ground floor of Senate House, reading ‘Boycott check-inn app, free Palestine’, and ‘Check-inn app supports genocide’, while others handed out leaflets and engaged with peers.
The students are highlighting the check-in app developer, ‘Ex Libris Group’, who are an Israeli company headquartered in al- Maliha in Jerusalem.
This has further fuelled outrage in some students and groups, who have previously called for UOB to divest from Israeli companies.
The app used by students to check-in – photo: Hannah Massoudi
Additionally, the group of students have claimed that “the check-in app’s use of live location to track attendance is invasive, infantilising, and controlling”.
Questioning the ethical conundrums such as risk to safety it may present particularly to international students whose attendance is a compulsory part of the visa agreement.
They are encouraging students for who it is mandatory for to check-in, to do so on the website instead.
One student, Benji, suggested that the app is prejudice against those with disabilities, he said:
“The use of the check-in app shows no regard for the diverse situations of students. It is intrinsically ableist as data collected disproportionately impacts students with disabilities who may be unable to attend classes regularly.”
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A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “It’s important that we register attendance at lectures and seminars.
“Checking in to classes is one of several ways we can monitor how students are engaging with their studies and if they are not attending, we may contact them to understand why and offer support if appropriate.
“This is the case for both home and international students
“We’ve always registered attendance and in the past this has included physical or online registers, and UCard swipes.
“In addition, UK Visas and Immigration requires that students sponsored by universities have engagement with their studies monitored and reported to enable their visa sponsorship to continue.
“We have provision for and can organise alternative arrangements for students who are on a student study support plan and are unable to use the app because of a disability.
“The University of Bristol app is a simple way for students to let us know they are attending their classes.
“The location of the device is only recorded at the time the check-in button is pressed. It is not recorded at other times and the app does not track students’ locations.
“Bristol joins several other universities who are already using this student-led approach to capturing attendance.
“The use of the app, and the decision to use this particular platform, was fully assessed by the University. The data collected is minimised to satisfy attendance purposes only.
“The University is not collecting data or using the app in a way that makes the data accessible to third parties.”
Main photo: Bristol Leftist Collective
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