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New Tier One law gives funding to Texas universities

Written by Jason Boyd, The Shorthorn news editor

Tuesday, 23 June 2009 12:00 AM

UTA administrators have expressed their desire to become a national research institution for the last several years. Gov. Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 51 June 17 at UT-Dallas. Administrators from Texas universities, state lawmakers and President James Spaniolo, attended the signing. The law sets guidelines for universities to earn funding, helping them become national research institutions. UTA is below the first tier — occupied by UT-Austin, Texas A&M and Rice — and could benefit from the new law.

“It gives a clear road map for our emerging universities as we head to the next level,” Perry said before signing the bill.

Texas has three nationally recognized research universities, also known as Tier One. California has nine, New York seven. Lawmakers said they saw a need for more Texas Tier One institutions.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board named seven emerging research universities: Texas Tech, University of Houston, University of North Texas, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio and UTA. Those universities will compete for the funds designated by HB 51.

While no set criteria for Tier One status exists, there are some themes, as stated by UT-Dallas President David Daniel in a 2008 report.

One factor is membership in the Association of American Universities. Texas’ three Tier One universities are members. UTA is not.

Another factor is an annual research expenditure of more than $100 million.

Reputation also matters — Daniel’s report includes U.S. News and World Report rankings as consideration. Out of American public universities, UT-Austin ranks 15. UTA is not ranked. The report’s criteria includes student-to-faculty ratios, employer-review surveys and subject-area rankings.

The law is worth $256 million across three programs, but a resolution to amend the state constitution would guarantee $425 million more, in the form of the National Research University Fund, if voters pass it in November. The fund’s $425 million would be redirected from the state Higher Education Fund if approved. If the resolution fails, the programs now signed into law will stand.

One, the Research University Development Fund will match portions of total research expenditures per university. The fund would pay at least $1 million for every $10 million of the average annual expenditures, if a university’s average expenditure is $50 million or more. If below $50 million, it’s $500,000 per $10 million.

UTA reported $66.5 million for total research expenditures in the 2008 President’s Report.

The Texas Research Incentive Program will match gifts and endowments: 50 percent between $100,000 and $999,999, 75 percent between $1 million and $1,999,999 and 100 percent if more than $2 million.

UTA reported more than $6.2 million in donations in the 2008 President Report.

The law also gives the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the power to bestow funds to universities based on degrees awarded along a point system, with non-at-risk students and non-critical fields being lowest in points and at-risk students and critical fields being the highest.

University officials are studying the bill but already plan to push internal efforts to qualify for funds, said Kristin Sullivan, Media Relations assistant vice president.

“We accept this challenge,” she said. “We’re going to accelerate our research.”

She said the university would continue to pursue private help to secure the state’s matching funds.

Sullivan said the university encourages Texas voters to approve the resolution for the National Research University Fund.

The fund would require competing universities to meet four of six criteria. They include having endowments greater than $400 million, 200 or more doctor of philosophy degrees awarded in the two prior years, and either membership in the Association of Research Libraries or has a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

The other three are achievements judged by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: high achievement of the freshman class for two years, high-quality faculty for two years and high-quality, graduate-level programs.

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Comments (1)

1 Thank you President Spaniolo
Written by Patrick Crothers, on 06-17-2009 13:28
Special thanks to University President James Spaniolo, faculty, Student Congress, staff and all others involved in our goals for making this Tier 1 goal a possibility. Though not understood by many newer students, this will make your UTA degree worth more as the years pass on.

Thank you President Spaniolo, for the future of UTA and our students.

Patrick Crothers
Senior Department of Anthropology

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 August 2009 10:29 AM )

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