CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is investing $50 million to hire new faculty members. As part of this new multiyear initiative, academic units will hire additional faculty in specified strategic areas.
"This strategic faculty hiring initiative will drive excellence in teaching, innovation and discovery," Chancellor Robert Jones said. “We expect that these resources will enable us to pursue faculty who enhance research and innovation, accelerate the discovery of solutions to complex global challenges, drive excellence in teaching, and contribute to a diverse, equitable and inclusive community. The influx of faculty members will foster collaborations between the university, the Discovery Partners Institute, the Illinois Innovation Network and other state partners.”
Under this initiative, colleges will have opportunities to request additional hires that advance the university’s mission.
"Growing the faculty is a top priority," Jones said. "Our plans to do so were put on hold while we managed the effects of the pandemic. It is now time to reinvigorate our commitment to increasing the number of excellent tenure-stream faculty on campus."
The hiring initiative will continue for several years or until the $50 million is allocated. The initiative is expected to grow the number of faculty members by 150 to 200, an increase of about 10%.
"Our faculty members represent some of our most important assets as a university," Jones said. "When we invest in our faculty, we are investing not just in our students, but also in the state of Illinois. The research and scholarship of these new faculty will contribute significantly to communities across our entire state."