Dear Colleagues,
We have seen recent growth in our faculty numbers, exceeding 2,000 tenure-stream faculty in the 2024-25 academic year for the first time in 15 years. These results are due in part to successful hiring programs such as the university’s $50 million Strategic Hiring Initiative (SHI). We remain committed to attracting excellent and diverse faculty to Illinois and to increasing our tenure-stream faculty numbers.
First announced in 2022, SHI gives colleges and units the opportunity to request non-recurring campus support for an additional hire(s) from pre-approved searches if they identify more than one excellent candidate in the pool.
We are pleased to announce we are now reviewing requests for funding for individual hires through this initiative. Requests must be submitted via the online SHI request form. Learn more about SHI funding guidelines.
For questions about the Strategic Hiring Initiative, please contact Amy Santos, Associate Provost for Faculty Development at rsantos@illinois.edu or 217-333-6677.
Sincerely,
John Coleman
Provost
William Bernhard
Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs