Outside funding allows for hires

The University is relying on some outside help in hiring more than 60 new faculty members as the economy continues to lag.

Bruce Carney, interim executive vice chancellor and provost, said the combined funding efforts of the state, University and private donors have made the job openings possible.

These funding sources have helped UNC offset budget cuts at a time when other top public schools have had to freeze hiring.

“We took a deeper cut than other schools in the system, but we have private money that supports professorships,” Carney said. “Fundraising has continued, external grants have grown, and there are retirements and resignations which should not be overlooked.”

The College of Arts and Sciences, which oversees the majority of undergraduate majors, will receive the bulk of these openings — 29 of the 62 positions.

The other 33 spots will be distributed across eight of UNC’s professional schools.

Carney said the schools will independently determine how they will use the new positions.

The Gillings School of Global Public Health has the most available positions of any professional school, seeking 11 new faculty members.

“They are probably grant-related positions,” Carney said. “It may not be state dollars, but they have grown considerably over the past couple of years, especially in external grant funding.”

In 2007, the school received a $50 million gift that funds everything from labs to professorships.

Kristen Swanson, dean of the School of Nursing, said her school has two open positions that, when filled, will help with a growing number of students. The school has 119 faculty members now.

“Over the last five years, we have increased the number of undergraduate students we educate,” Swanson said. “With the increased student enrollment, we are quite excited about the opportunity to have two new tenure-lined faculty members.”

Swanson added that the school is able to be more selective in hiring due to a wide pool of candidates.

“We want to bring in nurses who can do the science that can sustain the excellent position in being a top research nursing school,” she said.

Carney said the large number of available positions at a time when not many universities are hiring will help UNC recruit faculty that might have gone to other universities.

“It’s a tremendous market for hiring the very best people,” Carney said. “It sends a very strong message to the best people in the country to work here at Chapel Hill.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.