We are a group of research assistants, fellows, and associates who have joined AUB/AUBMC as a recognized and international leading institution in academic research and advancement.  With the current financial and economic crisis we are facing in Lebanon, our remuneration has unfortunately undergone a steep devaluation along with the deterioration of our work conditions. This letter is sent with the aim to articulate the faculty’s top concerns into a set of concrete demands for the adjustment of our financial conditions. It is needless to say the research activities at AUB/AUBMC are essential for the academic ranking for the institution, JCI accreditation (AUBMC), and faculty promotion and progress.

Since the start of the crisis, several actions have been done to address faculty and staff needs, however, no consideration for the status of researchers (research assistants/associates/fellows) was addressed.  We tried to raise questions through faculty meetings and directly to involved supervisors, but there was no clear plan or consensus set.

During the past period, several decisions have been made that support faculty by fresh dollar payments and salary increase to staff was given.  Moreover, inappropriate remuneration discrimination between RAs/RFs being paid through fresh funds and 3900 rates amounting to the wide difference among compensations has been also noticed. It is worth mentioning that our contracts do not involve any benefits nor end of contract compensation, neither is our contract type subjected to the promotion and position development.

Therefore, we find ourselves appealing here with the heightened financial crisis and the increased rate of lira pound deterioration requesting AUB provide its research faculty and employees with exceptional increases in salaries to help cover these losses, and/or pay a portion of these salaries in dollars. Our group kindly requests the below:

- Adjustment of RAs/RFs salaries to a reasonable living wage given the current challenging circumstances and the collapse of the financial system, not to mention the rising costs of all our living needs against a falling local currency

- Fairness and equity in salaries/payment method among different departments involving research employees (i.e. ensuring a unified $ rate remuneration adjustment among all RAs/RFs)

We hope this finds a fair and just echo in an institution we prided ourselves to work in,
 
Sincerely,

Research Assistants, Fellows, and Associates

American University of Beirut