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2022 VISION - Auburn to hire 500 new faculty
Initiative will dramatically expand research capacity, increase economic development, and fuel student
opportunities
Auburn University President Steven Leath announced this spring plans to hire 500 tenure-track
faculty by 2022 targeting a broad range of research and scholarly disciplines at the leading landgrant
university.
The commitment, made during a March ceremony marking Leath’s installation as Auburn’s 19th
president, is a key component of a comprehensive, five-year strategy to expand Auburn’s education,
research, partnership, and economic development initiatives to meet pressing social needs.
“Our vision for Auburn is to become a world-class academic, research, and service university in the
true spirit of our land-grant heritage,” said Leath. “The strategy and initiatives we are launching
are designed to position Auburn as an undisputed go-to destination for that special caliber of
student, faculty, staff, and development partner driven to make a meaningful impact on the state of
Alabama, the nation and the world.”
Provost Bill Hardgrave noted that the expansion of Auburn’s faculty will have an overwhelmingly
positive impact on the university’s land-grant mission of education, research, and outreach.
“By strategically increasing our faculty, we are strengthening our commitment to providing the
highest quality programs while building a unique community of scholars. Our students will benefit
from heightened engagement with a broader cadre of faculty working across disciplines to expand
and drive our educational, research, and outreach initiatives.”
Auburn has current enrollment of 29,776 full-time students. There are no current plans
to measurably increase undergraduate student enrollment. New graduate student enrollment
initiatives are being planned to grow doctoral student admissions in support of the announced
faculty expansion. The total number of tenured and tenure-track faculty is expected to grow from
1,144 in 2018 to an estimated 1,250 by 2022 after accounting for typical faculty retirement and
attrition patterns.
Government and economic development leaders expressed their support for the new hiring
initiatives and Auburn’s commitment to outreach and engagement.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with Dr. Steven Leath as he serves as the 19th
president of Auburn University,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “Dr. Leath genuinely cares for
others and seeks to make a positive difference in our world. As a visionary and innovative leader, he
will honor Auburn’s past and move our fine institution into a new era of prosperity and excellence.”
“Dr. Leath has a deep appreciation for the pivotal role strong research universities play in
development,” noted Steve R. Spencer, president of the Economic Development Partnership of
Alabama. “They create environments that leading industries need to thrive and attract a talented
workforce, and they are crucial to attracting top students, graduates, and businesses and keeping
them in the State. Through Dr. Leath’s vision and leadership, we look forward to even more
productive collaboration with Auburn that will help drive Alabama’s future prosperity and growth.”
According to the university’s economic impact study, the Auburn University system and its alumni
contributed $5.4 billion to the Alabama in 2016-2017. The study also estimates that Auburn’s
impact is responsible for creating some 25,826 jobs in the state during that timeframe, in addition
to the university’s own direct employment.
Last Updated: 10/12/2018