A change in the Strategic Priority Fund to consider base funding for academic appointments is intended to provide enough faculty to meet growing demand for programs and prepare for greater capacity at the graduate level, says provost Leo Groarke.

“Budget realignments over the last five years have strained some of the academic programs that are the core of what we do,” he says. “We are hopeful that these funds can provide some relief to those programs—new and old—that are struggling with these pressures.”

The 2013/14 competition will offer approximately $1.1 million for academic positions of all sorts—tenure-track, limited-term, ancillary academic staff or sessional. Applications must come from deans or others who run academic programs outside the faculties. Submissions must be made by January 3 to the deans, who will have until January 5 to submit their final proposals.

Another $400,000 is available for other projects; applications must be submitted through deans or other senior managers, with a deadline of January 15. The process is outlined on the provost’s website.