The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) has joined more than 160 higher education and research organizations in signing a letter to House and Senate appropriators urging support for the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) model.

The FAIR model, developed by the Joint Associations Group on Indirect Costs (JAG), seeks to modernize the way federally funded research is supported. Specifically, it proposes a shift from the current facilities and administrative reimbursement system to a model designed to provide more transparency and equity in covering the full costs of research. These costs include infrastructure, equipment, compliance, and other essential expenses that allow institutions to sustain research activity.

By signing the letter, AIR joined other national associations and institutions in underscoring the importance of preserving resources critical to the U.S. research enterprise while advocating for a funding system that better reflects actual institutional needs.