Texas A&M Announces Major Faculty Expansion With 167 New Hires by 2028

College Station, TX - On December 1, 2025, Texas A&M University unveiled a $25 million initiative to hire approximately 167 new tenure and tenure-track faculty members across its campuses over the next two years. The program, called "Foundation for Good (FFG)", is designed to expand class offerings, increase research capacity, and improve student-to-faculty ratios amid rising enrollment pressure.

What the Initiative Involves

• The Faculty Hiring Program will add 167 new faculty positions across multiple departments.
• The largest share of hires (47) will go to the College of Engineering. Other allocations include about 45 positions for the College of Arts and Sciences, around 20 for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 15 for Mays Business School, and additional positions for new or emerging academic areas proposed by deans.
• The first wave of faculty is expected to be hired by September 2027, with all new positions filled by 2028.

According to Texas A&M leadership, the expansion aims to "strategically add faculty in departments with the greatest need" in order to improve the academic experience, support research growth, and address high student-to-faculty ratios in certain areas.

Why It Matters

With more than 81,000 students enrolled across its campuses in fall 2025, Texas A&M has experienced increasing pressure on instructional resources. High student-to-faculty ratios have affected course availability and class sizes in several departments. The university's new hiring plan seeks to address these issues by increasing instructional capacity and enhancing academic quality.

Beyond immediate instructional improvements, the hiring effort may help Texas A&M remain competitive in attracting and retaining faculty while boosting research output across key academic fields.

Context: Higher Ed Workforce Challenges in Texas

The announcement comes during a period in which universities across Texas and other states have reported challenges in faculty recruitment. Recent years have included concerns related to political pressures, limits on DEI programs, and debates over tenure and academic freedom. Many institutions have instituted hiring freezes or reduced faculty lines due to budget constraints or policy shifts.

Texas A&M's decision to invest heavily in new faculty stands out within this broader landscape, signaling a strategic effort to grow academic capacity despite national workforce challenges.

What to Watch Next

• Where the university places new positions in areas proposed by deans, which may reveal shifts in Texas A&M's academic priorities.
• Whether the new hires lead to measurable changes in student-to-faculty ratios, course offerings, and research activity.
• How this hiring push influences faculty recruitment trends across Texas, particularly during ongoing discussions about academic freedom and institutional governance.