Iowa State University president Gregory Geoffroy says after four years of budget cuts, it’s time to start hiring more faculty on campus. “There are a number of very critical areas in the university where student demand is very, very high and where the student-to-faculty ratio is very high,” Geoffroy says. “One of those is our College of Business. It’s the fastest-growing college in the university and one of the smallest faculties and that’s an area that we’re going to give very close attention to as we think about the future.” Geoffroy says they’re exploring a new degree in criminal justice because there’s demand for it beyond the minor the university now offers. Some faculty will be hired because of savings in other areas of the university, but Geoffroy is hoping the legislature also provides I-S-U with more money. University of Iowa president David Skorton also expresses the hope the universities will get more money, and more faculty can be hired. There are 90 fewer faculty members at the University of Iowa today than there were four years ago, and student-teacher ratios are up. Skorton hopes to hire 50 faculty members in areas related to the “bio-economy” as well as in the pharmacy and medical research areas of the university.
