This study investigates the resource allocation problem of faculty hiring and promotion patterns using the techniques of optimal control theory. The mathematical structure of an academic faculty is described by a linear dynamic model whose parameters were estimated from actual data by two different techniques. The principal characteristics of the faculty system considered are: (1) linear system propagation; (2) a convex preference function to rank the relative values of varying the states of the system; and (3) four state variables and four control variables including the stocks and flows of (a) full professors, (b) associate professors, (c) assistant professors, and (d) instructors. The specific approach adopted for this investigation assumes that the promotion policies and attrition rates of faculty members are relatively fixed over the short run and the only variables left open to achieve a desired faculty structure are the institutional hiring policies. Under these conditions, the optimal open loop faculty hiring paths are calculated and their sensitivity is investigated. The study concludes by investigating and evaluating several solution procedures. (Author)