Faculty Hiring and Retention Program

I. Program Overview

The A&M System announces the inaugural call for proposals under the Research Excellence Fund (REF), a bold initiative to elevate the research enterprise across all A&M System member institutions. The REF provides competitive funding to accelerate discovery, strengthen collaboration, and enhance national competitiveness.
 
Strategic Initiative 3: Faculty Hiring and Retention Program under the REF aims to strengthen the A&M System’s position as a national and global leader in research, scholarship, and creative activities by investing in people – the foundation of discovery and innovation. Funding will be directed toward start-up packages for high-profile new hires and retention packages for exceptional faculty.
 
Priority consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate alignment with the strategic research priorities of the institution, state, and nation, and the potential to secure major follow-on funding from federal, state, and private sponsors, and the ability to foster interdisciplinary, multi-institutional collaboration within the A&M System.

II. Program Objectives

The Faculty Hiring and Retention Program seeks to:

• Recruit Distinguished Faculty: Support strategic hires who demonstrate a record of excellence in scholarship, research productivity, creative endeavors, and external funding.
• Retain Exceptional Talent: Provide competitive packages to retain key faculty.
• Enhance Institutional and System Competitiveness: Strengthen A&M System’s position in securing large-scale research awards from major federal, state, and private sponsors.
• Foster Collaboration across the System: Encourage cross-institutional appointments, joint centers, and collaborative research initiatives.
• Expand Research Capacity and Mentorship: Leverage high-profile faculty to mentor junior investigators, develop graduate programs, and build institutional excellence.

III. Eligibility

• Eligible Institutions: Any A&M System member university.
• Eligible Applicants: Proposals must be submitted by designated Chief Research Officer (CRO) (i.e., Vice President of Research) of each A&M System member university [https://www.tamus.edu/research/vcr/cro/].
• New Hires: Faculty candidates considered for recruitment must be eligible to receive tenure at the respective A&M System member university. Candidates must have demonstrated records of research excellence and external funding or creative distinction.
• Retention Candidates: Faculty members considered for retention must be a current tenured faculty member at a respective A&M System member university with external offers or significant risk of departure that would negatively affect institutional competitiveness.
• Collaboration: Collaborations between two or more A&M System members are strongly encouraged, especially where joint appointments or shared research infrastructure are feasible.

IV. Award Information and Allowable Costs

• Total Funding Available (FY26): $25,000,000
• Maximum Individual Award: $50,000 to $5,000,000 per faculty hire or retention depending on scope and impact.
• Project Period: 48 months
• Expected Number of Awards:  5 – 500 annually
• Allowable Costs: Start-up or retention packages (equipment, personnel, materials, travel), laboratory or studio renovations, salary supplements and recruitment incentives, graduate research assistantships or postdoctoral support, seed funding for collaborative projects, and limited relocation or infrastructure costs.
• Cost Share: Matching commitments from proposing institution are strongly encouraged and will enhance competitiveness.

All funds must be expended within 48 months of award unless an extension is approved.

V. Proposal Requirements

A. Proposal Components

Proposals must include the following sections, combined into a single PDF document:

1. Cover Page (1 page):
   • Institution name
   • Program contact name and information (CRO)
   • Faculty candidate name and proposed academic department
   • Funding amount requested and institutional match
2. Justification and Impact Statement (up to 3 pages):
   • Description of the strategic importance of the hire or retention
   • Expected impact on research competitiveness and collaboration
   • Evidence of the candidate’s record of research excellence
   • Track record of major external funding and partnerships
3. Budget and Cost-Share Commitment (1 page):
   • Detailed breakdown of start-up and retention costs
   • Institutional commitments (cash and in-kind)
4. Letters of Support (up to 5 letters; 1 page per letter):
   • Optional letters from collaborators or external partners
5. Memo of Support (1 page) from university President.
6. Appendices:
   • Candidate’s biographical description (1 page)
   • Candidate’s curriculum vitae (20 pages maximum)

VI. Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by an independent peer-review panel composed of internal and external experts using the following weighted criteria:

VII. Reporting and Expectations

Awardees will be required to:

• Submit annual progress reports summarizing accomplishments, expenditures, funding, outcomes, and collaborations.
• Submit a final report detailing outcomes, publications, and follow-on funding proposed and/or secured.
• Faculty are expected to participate in the annual A&M System Research Excellence Meeting to present their work.

Reports will be reviewed to assess the program’s impact and guide future funding decisions.

VIII. Submission Instructions

• Submission Portal: Submit single PDF document to ref@tamus.edu
• File Format: Single PDF document, 12-point font, 1-inch margins.
• Deadline: Rolling
• Questions: Contact E-mail: ref@tamus.edu

IX. Program Governance

The Faculty Hiring and Retention Program will be administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research under guidance from the REF Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from A&M System member institutions.
 
Proposals will be reviewed through a competitive independent peer-reviewed process. Decisions on funding will be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and endorsed by the Chancellorof the A&M System.

X. Key Dates

XI. Summary Statement

The Faculty Hiring and Retention Program represents a cornerstone of the Research Excellence Fund, ensuring the A&M System continues to attract and retain the brightest minds. By investing strategically in exceptional researchers, the A&M System will sustain its leadership in discovery, innovation, and scholarly excellence for decades to come.