Texas A&M launches $25 million initiative to expand faculty and boost academic capacity
Two-year program will add 167 faculty members across disciplines, expanding class offerings, enhancing research and strengthening the student experience.
Texas A&M University will invest $25 million to hire approximately 167 new faculty universitywide over the next two years, following a recent meeting where The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the allocation of Available University Funding (AUF).
The initiative, FY2026-2027 Faculty Hiring Program — Foundation for Good (FFG), directly addresses recommendations from the university’s 2024 Capacity Study Report and will further position the university to meet growing instructional and research demands, enhancing the student learning experience.
“This investment will allow us to strategically add faculty in departments with the greatest need, and strengthen the academic experience at every level,” said Dr. Alan Sams, provost and executive vice president. “We will enhance student learning, expand research opportunities and continue lowering student-to-faculty ratios. It positions us to better serve our students, remain competitive and continue attracting and supporting exceptional faculty who elevate Texas A&M’s mission every day.”
These new faculty will expand class sections in high-enrollment courses, support in-demand academic programs and advance research — particularly in STEM fields and areas with high faculty-to-student ratios. New faculty hires will be rolled out in a phased, two-year process with the first year’s allocated positions hired by Aug. 31, 2027, and the second year’s allocated positions hired by Aug. 31, 2028. The funded positions are each designated to a specific department and are intended to address those specific needs.
An additional 15 positions are reserved for strategic hires in emerging disciplinary areas or within strategic research priorities. Deans will be able to submit proposals for these reserved positions in January 2026.
With over 81,000 students across Texas A&M University locations in fall 2025, the university’s faculty of over 4,300 supports a dynamic student experience. Texas A&M was ranked the No. 1 public university in Texas for the third year in a row by The Wall Street Journal, which evaluates institutions based on a combination of student experience, career preparation, learning environment and return on investment.
Faculty at Texas A&M University contribute to nearly $1.4 billion of research expenditures, fueling innovations and breakthroughs in a wide array of scientific areas from engineering to health to agriculture. The university is home to 78 Fulbright Scholars, 54 National Academies members, 22 members of the National Academy of Inventors, 2 Wolf Prize winners and many other prestigious award winners. Learn more about becoming a faculty member at Texas A&M.
