The Journey to Tier One Status

We are well on our way to becoming the state’s next Tier One University.

What is the National Research University Fund, also known as NRUF?

Legislation, co-sponsored by State Sen. Robert Duncan, created the National Research University Fund. NRUF is a constitutional endowment established by Texas voters in 2009. Texas Tech could receive up to $10 million per year if it fulfills the required criteria – and we are already well positioned.

Emerging Research University: The Beginning

The journey to National Research University Fund (NRUF) designation began in 2009 when the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) designated Texas Tech and six other schools in the state of Texas as emerging research universities (ERU).

The Texas Legislature then put in place a framework and two funding sources to help Texas Tech and the other emerging research universities reach and maintain NRUF status. No one university has a better opportunity than the others, rather the legislation sets criteria and leaves it to the seven emerging research universities to meet the standards.

NRUF legislation's most immediate impact was the creation of the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP), making $50 million available in matching grants for private gifts.

Texas Tech took full advantage of this opportunity by raising $29.5 million. The remarkable level of support from alumni and friends provided Texas Tech with the opportunity to show the level of commitment that has been placed on reaching NRUF status.

Where are we now?

The two-year biennium (Fiscal years 2009-11) ended Aug. 31 and we are confident and excited with our progress toward NRUF designation. We ran our number through an exhaustive internal audit and have submitted the information to THECB, which will begin its audit process sometime in the spring. According to our totals, we met each of the criteria (see 2011 President’s Report below) during both fiscal years. While we are confident THECB will recognize us as one of the first NRUF universities in the state, we cannot claim success until the board’s final report at a to-be-determined date in 2012.

What’s next?

We have several goals we hope to reach in the coming years, beginning with a top 100 ranking in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. As the graphic shows below, only two of the seven emerging research universities were listed in the latest rankings – UT-Dallas (#143) and Texas Tech (#160). We are well on our way, but have a lot of work ahead of us to realize this goal.

Association of American Universities (AAU)

Established in 1900, the Association of American Universities was created to advance the international standing of U.S. research universities. An elite group of 59 universities, including small liberal arts college to Ivy League institutions to some of the largest universities in the country, work to “maintain a productive partnership between the nation’s research universities and the federal government. The major activities of the association include federal government relations, policy studies and public affairs.”

Currently, three universities in the state of Texas – University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Rice University – are members of this prestigious group. We want to be the fourth; and, achieving NRUF status is an important step in that process.

Steps to Tier One

Click image to enlarge.