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 Propositions Index |
Previous Proposition
Proposition 4The ballot will read: The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund.Background: Texas has two public national academic research universities: The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Proposition 4 would establish a National Research University Fund (NRUF) to help other state universities build their research activities to achieve national prominence. The NRUF would initially be funded from the existing Higher Education Fund (HEF). The HEF was created to support some of the state’s universities, but the Legislature has never put enough money into the HEF for it to begin actually paying out earnings to those universities. If Proposition 4 is passed, the HEF would be eliminated and its funds moved to the NRUF. The Legislature has set standards for universities to compete to earn ongoing funding from the NRUF. There are seven universities in the state that are considered as likely contenders for NRUF funding. Of those, the University of Houston is generally agreed to be at or near the top of the list. For: Texas lags behind other states in its number of nationally recognized research universities. UT-Austin and Texas A&M have more applicants than they can admit. As a result, Texas loses thousands of high-achieving high school graduates to universities in other states every year. By having more universities at a nationally recognized level, Texas would expand the educational opportunities available to Texans, keep more Texas students at home in our state, and generate important research and economic growth. UT-Austin and Texas A&M have reached nationally recognized status in part because of long-term, sustained funding from the state’s Permanent University Fund, which primarily supports those two universities. The NRUF would provide a similar dedicated, long-term source of funding for other state universities which do not receive funding from the Permanent University Fund. Against: While the goals of the proposal are commendable, Texas should focus more of its limited resources strictly on those institutions that are the closest to attaining nationally recognized status. By setting criteria such that at least seven different universities can draw from the NRUF, it will take longer for the leading research universities, such as the University of Houston, to reach national prominence. that would occur if this proposition passes, CLICK HERE. Note that Propositions 4 and 11 were passed together in a single bill. The language for Proposition 4 is contained in "Article 2" of the bill. Words to be added to the Constitution will be underlined. Words to be removed, if any, will be [ For a more detailed analysis of this proposition For the full House Research Organization report |