Iowa State is losing a significant number of tenured and tenure-track professors.

Current efforts by Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Hoffman and the Office of the President are aimed at filling the 223 faculty positions currently sitting open.

“The university has been experiencing this trend for the past 10 to 15 years, so this isn’t a new problem,” Hoffman said. “It is very concerning, and we are focusing efforts to keep our best faculty and replace the losses we’ve experienced.”

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy touched on the topic of recent economic woes last week when he addressed members of Iowa State’s Faculty Senate.

“The struggling national economy has a great impact on Iowa and the university,” Geoffroy said. “Lots of states are cutting their higher education budgets, and the federal government is tightening its allocations for research.”

The loss of valuable faculty members exacerbates the problem because lower faculty numbers means a decrease in grant requests and a lack of research activity at Iowa State.

“The downward trend in number of tenure and tenure-track faculty means there are fewer grants coming in,” Geoffroy said.

Iowa State’s administration is focused on legislative actions to increase monetary appropriations to support existing faculty members and provide a reservoir for hiring activity in the next year.

“One of our top priorities is funding the salary bill, and the 10.4 percent increase in state legislative appropriations is a positive sign,” Geoffroy said.

More than just budget cuts may be responsible for the loss of professors, however.

“Iowa’s climate isn’t ideal for some people, being that it can be cold and snowy much of the year,” said Sedahlia Crase, Faculty Senate president and professor of human development and family studies. “There are many options for people who want to work at institutions that have a warmer climate.”

Crase also mentioned that Iowa State is not near a large city, which may factor into the decisions of potential faculty members who seek culture and entertainment beyond what Ames and Des Moines have to offer.

Another factor is that money is allocated by the president to each college and department needing faculty replacements.

Under the current system, Crase said, money given to Iowa State for faculty salaries by the Board of Regents can be retained by the president for successive years until he decides which departments to endorse with hiring funds.

“If we lose 10 faculty one year and they aren’t replaced, that number increases to 20 the next, and this trend can exist among a number of departments.”

Age and health may also be factors responsible for the decreasing faculty numbers as well.

“I remember a period of time when my department had faculty members dying of cancer at alarming rates,” Crase said. Hoffman has been working to reverse the trend and replace tenured professors.

“We are focused on keeping our best faculty and feel this is an opportunity to hire those who embrace the challenges of the global climate change,” Hoffman said. “It is sad to be losing valued faculty, but there are excellent replacement options.”

She said Iowa State’s administration is focused on finding staff who embrace finding solutions to the challenges facing the environment and global economy.

“We are recruiting all levels of professors, from lecturers to senior scientists, who bring new research proposals and program ideas,” she said. “These options will attract new students as well.”