Anne Fraïsse, president of Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier, is sounding the alarm in an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron. She denounces an alarming situation marked by deaths among her staff, due to deplorable working conditions, notably caused by a glaring lack of financial resources. Faced with this urgent plea, the Minister of Higher Education has responded and announced an inspection to understand and resolve these critical problems.
A cry for help in the face of lost lives
In a poignant open letter, Anne Fraïsse draws President Emmanuel Macron’s attention to the human tragedies occurring at Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier. She states bluntly: “People are dying in your universities.” These powerful words are based on chilling facts: in the space of five years, four tenured faculty members at the university have committed suicide, whereas in the previous 25 years, no suicides had been recorded. Furthermore, she reports heart attacks and strokes among staff, highlighting a clear sense of distress.
Limited resources and disastrous consequences
Anne Fraïsse points to the lack of financial and human resources plaguing her institution. She notes that half of the courses are taught by adjunct instructors, a situation that leads to gaps in support for both students and teachers. According to her, Paul-Valéry University is not only underfunded but also poorly managed, which exacerbates the feeling of exhaustion and unease among the staff. Faced with these difficulties, she is demanding not just one-off grants, but genuine fairness in the distribution of educational resources.
Government reactions and upcoming initiatives