Senator files bill to help aid research-intensive universities

District 21 Sen. Judith Zaffirini filed Senate Bill 9 this week, which if passed would reassess the financial support and incentives for developing Tier One research-intensive universities in Texas.

A Texas Research Incentive Program, part of SB 9, would let eligible institutions that get cash gifts or endowments for research activities from private sources get matching funds at set rates to further aid research productivity and faculty recruitment.

Tier One universities, generally defined as those that commit more than $100 million to research annually, are integral to keeping the state in the forefront of research as the global competition stiffens for talent, ideas and economic development. The presidents of the three largest public universities in the area — the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Texas at Dallas — met with the North Texas Commission’s board of directors in February to make a case for additional Tier One-class universities in the area.

While research programs at the universities are strong, there is no national research university in Dallas-Fort Worth, despite its ranking as the fifth largest metropolitan area in the U.S., the presidents said.  Although Texas has 8 percent of the nationÂ’s population, it only receives 5 percent of federal research and development funding, and only the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and Rice University meet the $100 million annual research spending standard.

The general agreement has been that the state must find a way to increase research funding, particularly to seven universities designated “emerging research universities.” Those seven include UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas and UNT in this area, along with Texas Tech, the University of Houston, the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The ailing economy and a tight state budget may come between the universities and their Tier One plans, however.

On Jan. 12, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs delivered the sobering news that Texas was starting to feel the impact of the nationwide recession and, as a result, the state would have $9.1 billion less to spend in the 2009-2011 biennium than in the 2007-2008 session. The stateÂ’s cost to create four more major research universities is estimated at about $188 million, with $405 million needed to push all seven to that level. But with a budget shortfall estimated at $9.1 billion, finding the needed funds may be difficult, supporters acknowledge. And, while area officials have voiced support for Tier One plans, they also have other priorities, particularly transportation.