Interim President John Green announced The University of Akron is looking to hire 17 new faculty members and begin national searches for five administrative positions in order to continue its focus on superior academic programs.

All of the searches are planned to start this academic year in hopes of the faculty hires being completed by the Fall 2020 semester.

Green initially announced these hires during a Faculty Senate meeting on Sept. 6 as one of the University’s plans toward addressing the decreasing enrollment of students and decrease in returning students.

Ten of the planned faculty hires will be tenure track and the remaining seven will be non-tenure track, in addition to the 25 new faculty currently teaching and 41 faculty accepting the Voluntary Separation or Retirement Program.

According to a UA press release, the targeted areas for the hires include “the David L. Brennan Endowed Chair of Law in the School of Law, the Austen Chair of Polymer Science and the director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics…”

Additional targeted areas are psychology, geosciences, dance, math, computer information systems, electrical and mechanical engineering, surveying/mapping, economics/finance/ social work, audiology and special education.

Green said that positions in those departments are important to the University as the administration has held discussions with college leaders on the needs and plan for UA’s future.

“Delivery of quality degree programs is key to student success; therefore, special emphasis is being placed on filling positions where demand is growing or where there is strong potential for growth,” Green said.

Additionally, UA will conduct open searches for deans in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education and the College of Health Professions.

In coordination with the College of Health Professions dean search, the University may also begin looking for a director of the School of Nursing.

The last part of the academic searches includes an open search for a chief academic officer after President-elect Gary Miller takes office at UA on Oct. 1.

Meanwhile, while the previous six month pause on reorganization discussions ended, Green said during the Faculty Senate meeting that continued discussions will occur in connection with UA Strategic Plans.

“This is an exciting time of transition for the University,” Green said. “As we prepare for the next chapter of University leadership, we remain committed to investing in our academic programs to ensure that our students receive the best education possible.”