Lecturers brought university campuses to a standstill as staff and students refused to cross official picket lines.
About 120 higher education staff from Sussex and Brighton universities formed picket lines outside university buildings yesterday as part of a strike over pay.
The one-day strike was jointly organised by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) and NATFHE, the college and university lecturers' union and members hope their action will prompt the universities' vice-chancellors to increase staff wages with money from top-up fees.
Jim Guild, the president of Sussex AUT, said: "When the money was thin we accepted low wages but with top-up fees bringing £3.5 billion into the system we expect staff salaries to increase.
"These staff are highly trained and yet many of them cannot afford to buy their own homes."
The picket lines were dismantled yesterday afternoon when union members and supporters held a rally at the Pressure Point in Richmond Place.
Today lecturers were expected to begin an assessment boycott where they refuse to mark any students' work to keep up pressure on vice-chancellors.
Students from the campaign group Sort Us Out at Sussex will stage a protest in the university library tonight.
It is to show solidarity for lecturers and highlight changes they want made at the university, such as more books in the library and longer library opening hours.
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