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From The National newspaper, 18 September 2008:

University housing angers new staff

Jessica Hume

* Last Updated: September 18. 2008 11:11PM UAE / September 18. 2008 7:11PM GMT

AL AIN // Some professional employees of UAE University have threatened to find new jobs after claiming that the housing they were promised in their contracts has not materialised or is substandard.

The university hired 100 new faculty and support staff in an institutional expansion. While many of the new staff have been assigned accommodation, others are still waiting to be housed and claim the flats they were offered are unacceptable.

One block of housing is being referred to by staff as �the compound� because of its unappealing appearance and location. They have been told they will be moved into the building once the electricity has been connected.

�It�s miserable. The construction is shoddy and the apartment is tiny, the sink is four inches deep,� said one new staff member, who wished to remain anonymous.

�I was given the impression before coming that there was a certain quality of housing. I�m now thinking of going back to where I originally come from.�

Another employee added: �Some apartments have no windows, only light shafts. I wouldn�t live there, myself.�

Staff said it was the only university accommodation they were aware of that was available to them.

The university administration said they had more buildings but would not say whether apartments were available for rent.

The housing situation has prompted some disillusioned staff to consider leaving, even though they could face heavy penalties for breaking their contracts. �The compound,� on a busy Al Ain roundabout, is a beige-and-brown-coloured building that stands alone in a sand pit littered with rubbish. A cause of great concern among staff � some of whom have children � is the nearby electricity pylon and cables above and the caged transformer in front of the building. They fear health risks.

The university administration has said there are plans to move the transformer underground and that the building complies with safety regulations.

�The building has been inspected by the government and the municipality,� said Dr Fatima al Shamsi, secretary general of the university. �It wouldn�t have been built there if it was a health hazard.�

Staff also claim the university was not upfront about the housing situation before bringing in the new staff and faculty and if they had been, they would have reconsidered the job offers.

�We didn�t know there was a shortage of housing. If I had known, I don�t think I would have come,� one said. �People who just got here are thinking about resigning.�

Dr Abdullah al Khanbashi, vice chancellor of the university, conceded that the school had trouble housing staff, but said there were several reasons for it.

�It�s a matter of not enough units on the market and at the same time, the demand, and then the units that we have scheduled to [let] will be finished in November or December.� Dr Khanbashi said that some landlords who had signed contracts with the university nonetheless provided housing for other institutions. We have court cases with them now.�

Dr Shamsi said that less than 20 of the 100 new staff are very upset. Housing priority was given to people with families over singles and childless couples, she said.

The university has assured employees that the new building should be ready in two weeks, and that those unhappy with the housing could find accommodation outside the university but would have to pay any rent above their annual housing allowances.

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[Iamherebecause]

The 30-odd new staff who are still in the Hilton have been told they have to move into the rabbit-warren within the week. Not all UGRU - some are full faculty.

UAEU and UGRU housing allowances haven't been increased for about 10 or more years, probably longer. HCT staff in Al Ain get a much bigger allowance and hence better accommodation.

Now what - stalemate? Resignations? Everyone meekly moves in?

Haven't been in the new block personally but apparently some flats don't have any external windows; all the flats are generally poky; and the building is very close to a high voltage power line.

[like2answer]

If people stay and want to be happy, they have to change their attitudes:

[kiefer]

Buraimi is no longer an option, sa?

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Altho, IMHO, I think the l2a is being a little rough, I agree to the point that lotza people move into the expat life with a little luxury called "expectations". The ME can be tough and eye-opening...just ask anyone who has worked for GHQ. "Contracts, we don't need to honour no stinkin' contracts!"

NCTBA

[Iamherebecause]

Living in Buraimi has never been an option for UAEU staff and these days as they have moved the border posts it's a bit complicated.

See http://www.uaeu.ac.ae/hr/eguide/2008_employee_handbook.pdf for what UAEU says about accommodation (Page 42) - 'Accommodation standards are good' is I agree rather vague but I don't think anyone would descibe the rabbit warren as 'good.' Some flats are so small and badly designed that you can't open bathroom doors all the way, they are blocked by the fittings. Kitchen too small to fit standard appliances etc.

[Bklyngrl]

I tried posting a reply the other day on this subject, but I don't know what happened to it. Perhaps it's lost in cyberspace.

Anyway, here's my two fils. The university hired new faculty with the promise that they'd be given housing within 6 days. It has been 8 weeks now and there are still faculty living in hotels, including several families. The housing provided for singles and couples is unsuitable and far below the standards of what has been provided in the past. I know it's free housing, but it's galling to know that people who arrived last year had a choice. There's no parity. Faculty members of the same rank are living in (if not luxury) than far superior accomodations than to what's offered this year.

The new faculty have many legitimate reasons to be frustrated. The HR Housing people do not answer phone calls, give different information to different people and act as if they are doing the faculty a favor, rather than simply doing their jobs. There has been little to no communication, despite many efforts by new faculty and even dept. chairs and deans.

There is a housing crisis and it isn't going to get better. Rather than spring for huge hotel bills, the university should have increased the housing allowances. What will happen next year when they try to recruit new faculty?

The new housing is awful, extremely small and depressing. One new faculty member was asked by the workers delivering his furniture, "What do you do?" He wanted to know why a university professor was give labourers' housing. Even the labourers recognize it as labourers' housing!

It's difficult to settle in to a new country and a new job when living in a hotel. It's been especially difficult for the families. Imagine living for months in one or two rooms with young children, having to prepare school lunches etc. I know for a fact that there are still 4 families living at the Hilton and I'm not sure about the Intercon, although The National article quotes university administration as saying families are given preference.

One more issue is that some people have been able to find housing on their own, through real estate agents or friends. Others (who are now being forced to move into the dreaded housing complex) were told they couldn't find their own housing, that no real housing allowance exists. Why some people and not others?

All of these issues make for a bad start to new jobs.

[bje]

[veiledsentiments]

Tends to be 10 to a tiny room and the bath shared with 100.

VS

[bje]

[Iamherebecause]

Let's just stop the snide comments about what is and is not workers' accommodation and accept that this is not accommodation which an experienced professional should expect.

And anyone who is considering a job at UAEU would be well advised to ask about accommodation at interview and see what sort of answer they get. The salaries at UAEU are now great but if your flat is so small you can't invite a few friends around is it worth it?

[bje]

[Iamherebecause]

I am an experienced professional (3 degrees, loads of experience) but I am not living in a small flat as I have been here for a while. But my new colleagues have a legitimate complaint. Some are considering resigning and others are angry, disappointed, frustrated, resigned etc depending on their temperament.

It seems the terminology has upset some people - only a quotation of what the furniture delivery man said though. Try calling it accommodation for underpaid clerks, is that better? I've also heard it called student accommodation: poky flats with those tiny study bedrooms many of us lived in in our late teens and early 20's.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[Iamherebecause]