As IU Bloomington welcomes a record-breaking 48,626 students this fall—including the largest and most academically talented beginner class in our history—we are at a pivotal moment of growth and transformation. Meeting this demand while advancing our academic mission and expanding our research enterprise requires bold, sustained investment in the people who make IUB thrive: our faculty.
I am proud that as our student population has grown, so has our faculty. Since 2022, IUB has added more than 60 new tenured and tenure-track faculty positions—a 4% increase.
Over that same time, we have hired over 630 new permanent faculty members overall—including 239 in tenured and tenure-track roles and 392 in non-tenure-track positions—both to fill newly created roles and to replace departing faculty.
These new colleagues are helping meet immediate teaching needs while also strengthening our academic community across all disciplines, building long-term capacity for research, mentorship, and leadership—and ensuring IU Bloomington continues to grow in both excellence and impact.
630new permanent faculty members
239 tenured and tenure-track roles
392in non-tenure-track positions
A cornerstone of our faculty investment is the Faculty 100 initiative, launched in 2022 to accelerate growth in key areas of opportunity. To date, we have welcomed 61 new Faculty 100 members—26 tenured and 35 tenure-track—with additional searches underway.
These colleagues bring expertise in fields such as quantum information science, biomedical and synthetic biology, robotics, and microelectronics. I’ve already seen how they are enriching the student experience and building new interdisciplinary research collaborations that are propelling IUB ahead.
Moving forward, our focus remains on two key priorities: continuing to expand our capacity to pursue transformative research and shaping field-leading academic programs that align with rising student interest and evolving workforce needs.
A major part of this effort this year is our bold investment in human-centered engineering, with $75 million dedicated to launching cutting-edge academic programs, recruiting top faculty, and creating state-of-the-art facilities.
Housed within the Luddy School, development of new degree programs is underway in computer engineering, robotics, bioengineering, nanoengineering, microelectronics, and electrical engineering—building on our established intelligent systems engineering programs. At least two of these new degrees are on pace to launch next year.
To support this growth, this year we are actively searching for up to 20 additional tenure-track faculty through the Faculty 100 initiative in biomedical engineering, computer engineering, robotics, and microelectronics. These strategic hires and the programs they support will strengthen IUB’s capacity to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive research with real-world impact.
More than just expanding course offerings, these investments enhance our ability to prepare students for meaningful careers, advance innovation, and contribute to Indiana’s long-term vitality.
Recruiting and welcoming new faculty colleagues is a collaborative effort, with deans, department chairs, faculty, and staff across campus working together to identify and bring in the expertise that will best support IUB’s future.
I am grateful to our all our faculty involved in the many searches, as well as our faculty affairs and recruitment teams, especially the leadership of Vice Provost Carrie Docherty and Director Cindy Broderick, whose dedication has been vital in advancing this work.
As we welcome new colleagues through this initiative, we are also building the conditions for faculty success—through interdisciplinary hubs, enhanced research infrastructure, and ongoing support for faculty development and student engagement. We recognize the continued challenges ahead and value the engagement of all faculty as we shape IUB’s academic future together.
In the months ahead, I’ll share more updates on other academic initiatives aligned with the IUB 2030 plan. We are making progress in areas such as experiential learning and interdisciplinary education—all centered on supporting our students and empowering our faculty.
Thank you to everyone who has helped move our faculty recruitment efforts forward. Your leadership, insights, and shared vision for IUB’s future are what make this work meaningful and possible.
More stories are on the way that highlight our newest faculty members and the meaningful contributions they’re bringing to our campus and the broader community.
Here’s to a strong semester ahead—and to the faculty who will help shape what comes next.
