Time ripe for more top-tier universities, education leaders testify
March 27, 2009
UT-El Paso is one of seven so-called emerging research universities that hope to ascend to a national plane. In Texas, only UT-Austin, Texas A&M University and the private Rice University are considered top-tier, or national, research institutions.
Written by Ralph K.M. Haurwitz , The Austin American Statesman
Texas has a rare opportunity now to propel some of its public universities toward top-tier status, several higher education leaders testified at a legislative hearing today.
“This is a defining moment in Texas higher education,” said Diana Natalicio, president of the University of Texas at El Paso. “I think our time is now.”
UT-El Paso is one of seven so-called emerging research universities that hope to ascend to a national plane. In Texas, only UT-Austin, Texas A&M University and the private Rice University are considered top-tier, or national, research institutions.
The leaders of the seven universities encouraged lawmakers to pursue legislative proposals to set aside extra funding for which those schools would compete. Research, endowments and other factors would be the benchmarks for the competition.
Texas Tech University President Guy Bailey and other leaders said it’s important to ensure that the funding is ongoing and predictable.
There also seems to be a growing consensus among lawmakers that now, with the Texas economy stronger than the economies of many other states, is an opportune time to provide such funding and gain a competitive advantage on the national higher education landscape.
“If we don’t do it now, we may miss the opportunity of a lifetime for the State of Texas,” said Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock.
Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, the chairwoman of the Higher Education Committee, said her bill and proposals by Duncan and Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, would be left pending so that work could continue in an effort to achieve a consensus on funding and other details.
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