North Texas
(2009-03-11)
null
Three North Texas university presidents are asking state lawmakers to help their schools become major research universities. Wednesday they testified that a bill authored by Dallas Representative Dan Branch would do that. KERA's Shelley Kofler reports on hopes that a new strategy will prevent the push for tier one schools from failing again.
------
For years one academic prize beyond North Texans reach has been the creation of a nationally recognized research university. A university that would attract the top scholars and make the next big discoveries.
Right now UT Austin and Texas A&M are the state's only public universities with enough money to play in that league. Rice, a private university in Houston also has a "tier one" designation.
By contrast California claims nine elite research schools.
At a state capitol hearing room business leaders joined the presidents of UT Arlington, UT Dallas and the University of North Texas who say they're willing to increase efforts to raise private research dollars if the state will also contribute.
Donna Halstead, President of the Dallas Citizens Council, told lawmakers the state, thus far, has not done its part
Halstead: We believe we deserve the opportunity to be as strong as California or New York in terms of providing quality higher education to the students of this state. In order to do that we need the state to put money where its needs are.
Texas identifies seven universities as up-and-coming research schools. In the past they've competed to become the next tier one school, and legislation has failed.
This time Rep. Dan Branch has authored a bill that would provide matching money when schools raise their own research dollars. UTD President David Daniel says that may prevent universities from torpedoing each other, since all seven schools could compete for state dollars.
Daniel: Past efforts to pick somebody have failed because if you have one or two in the boat and leave five others outside the boat the other five are going to capsize the boat and drown everyone.
While Governor Perry has said creation of a single Tier one school won't happen this session, he hasn't said he opposes this approach. But with the economy continuing to sink money for any new effort will be difficult. Representative Branch is asking the legislature for $210 million to jumpstart this university research effort.
© Copyright 2010, KERA
