About 70 new jobs coming to Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Between 60 and 70 new jobs are coming to Purdue University over the next few years.

Purdue's interim president Tim Sands said the University will take part in "cluster hiring,"in which they hire faculty members in several rounds over the next few years.

Sands said in the first round, they will be filling positions in six areas in the Global Health Department.He said the selection process for candidates has already begun and, in some cases, candidates have already been identified.

However, Sands said it could take about a year to complete the interview process among candidates. He said they wanted to start with Global Health, as they already have great strength in that area and know adding new faculty will only improve the department.

"By adding faculty in that area that bridge the disciplinary strength that we already have, we think we can move from being a strong program to being a leading program," said Sands. "So, across the board we are looking for those opportunities."

Sands said they also plan to add Professional Master's programs to several colleges at Purdue. He said one of the first colleges to consider that program will be the College of Engineering.

As for his next six months as Purdue's interim president, Sands said he expects it to be both stressful and exciting, but said he knows where Purdue has come from and where it's going. He also said he looks forward to working with Governor Mitch Daniels.