Tier 1 research universities

The Nightly Build

---

UT-Dallas, Engine of Growth

Promoting the growth of UT-Dallas into prominence as a nationally recognized research university is a goal that made a brief appearance in the recent forum for candidates for Richardson's city council. One candidate, Gary Slagel, raised the subject unprompted by any audience question. He identified the Richardson university as being an engine for growth for the whole city. It's an example of an issue the campaign for city council should be focusing on instead of the mean-spirited politics of personal destruction the campaign is descending into instead.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recognizes the importance of having a local Tier 1 university. The paper calls attention to the fact that DFW is the state's largest metropolitan area and has no Tier 1 research university. UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington and University of North Texas have the potential but need state help to achieve the next level of greatness.

There are some tiny steps being taken in this year's legislative session in Austin. The Senate passed a resolution by Sen. Robert Duncan of Lubbock calling for a source of funding for state research institutions. Unfortunately, it would only apply to universities that have already reached that Tier 1 status, not to aspiring schools like UT-Dallas. Senate Bill 9 submitted by Sen. Judith Zaffirini of Laredo corrects that omission, but has its own drawbacks. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

"It would enable emerging research universities and other schools in Texas to compete for more state funding based on such criteria as their number of graduates in certain critical fields, their growth in research funding from business and government sources, their numbers of graduates each year and their ability to search out private gifts. The problem, of course, is that Zaffirini's bill has no funding."

Paul Burka has identified a potential source of funding, but even he doesn't seem to recognize the need for more Tier 1 research universities.

"The Legislature should abolish the emerging technology fund. The state has no business investing in start-ups. This is just wheeling and dealing with public funds that carries a huge potential for abuse and inside dealing. Lawmakers should take the $250 million appropriation and allocate it to the state's major research universities. Unlike the governor's office, the universities DO know who the world class researchers are, and they can use the money to recruit them from other states that are suffering worse budget crises than we are. As for the Enterprise Fund, used for closing deals, I would cut it in half and give the rest to the research universities."

All well and good, except Texas needs a few more Tier 1 research universities. The sad truth is that the Texas legislature still doesn't have a consensus on that. And, with a few exceptions, the candidates for Richardson city council don't seem to notice. And that's a shame. The city's future economic prosperity could could suffer because of it.