New and Vacant Faculty Positions

June 4, 2026 
 
TO:   Deans, Department Chairs, School Directors and Area Coordinators 
 
FROM:   Ronald Hendrick, Provost & Senior Vice President 
 
RE:   New and Vacant Faculty Positions  
 
As part of our continued efforts to align faculty hiring with Texas Tech’s strategic priorities, including our pursuit of AAU membership, I am providing additional, previously discussed guidance on how vacant tenure-track faculty lines will be reviewed and allocated. 
 
For many years our standard practice had been to leave vacant faculty positions in the former faculty member’s home college, typically to be filled within that person’s home academic unit. The funds associated with such vacancies had returned to the Provost & Senior Vice President (PSVP) and were generally disbursed back to the college to support new hires and interim expenses related to supporting teaching or other needs.  
 
In Fall of 2025, all vacant faculty lines (with professorial titles) and any associated funds have been returned to the PSVP. All colleges have been using a formal faculty vacancy reporting form to propose use of vacant lines and associated funds. This approach is consistent with Texas Tech University’s plan to achieve AAU status within the next decade.  
 
Having previously discussed criteria used to allocate and fill those vacancies in general terms, I am providing more specific criteria to help guide your decision making, as well as give you a view into my own.  
 
While I expect that colleges will continue to submit vacancy proposals for faculty lines associated with research professor and professor of practice titles, the guidance below is specific to decision making related to lines associated with tenure-acquiring and tenured faculty titles.  
 
Accordingly, the allocation of new and vacant tenure-acquiring and tenured faculty lines at Texas Tech University will be based primarily on the following criteria.  

 
The proposed position:  

• Must contribute measurably to at least to two, preferably three, of the following areas:
  • Scholarly/creative endeavors identified through the Texas University Fund (TUF), our recently completed strategic plan or other initiative supported by Texas Tech as strategic priorities.
  • Undergraduate and graduate education in areas that are  
    • consistently in high demand from prospective students;
    • are experiencing enrollment growth; and/or
    • that have been identified as priority areas for investment based on our strategic enrollment planning and management processes.
  • AAU metrics identified in the Texas Tech Path to AAU plan (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/research/aau/).
  • Critical workforce needs within the state.
  • Other state or key stakeholder priorities as they relate to business, industry, government or societal need.
• Should be in a scholarly/creative area for which there are significant (relative to discipline) opportunities for financial support from public and/or private entities, including competitive grant funding and philanthropic or donor-supported funding. 
• Should be in scholarly/creative area for which there are significant opportunities for national/international recognition and visibility.
• Must be in a scholarly/creative area that has prepared the faculty member to teach courses contributing to requirements as defined by the Texas Core Curriculum; accrediting, licensing or certifying bodies; or college or department majors.  
• Be targeted to a well-defined area of scholarly/creative expertise, as opposed to a generic position within a field or subfield. 
   
  The above guidelines should be used when proposing to retain and fill a vacant faculty position, move a vacant position to a different academic unit within the same school or college, or request a vacant line be moved into your unit.   
   
  While this approach represents a change from past practices, our charge is to elevate Texas Tech’s national standing and achieve AAU status. 
   
  Faculty lines represent one of the university’s most significant long-term investments, and it is essential that they align with our strategic priorities and that we are intentional about how we allocate them.  
   
  I appreciate your leadership and partnership as we work together to ensure that every investment moves Texas Tech forward.