Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB51 Compare Versions

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1	1	81R1998 JSA-D
2	2	By: Branch H.B. No. 51
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to funding and other measures to support emerging public
8	8	research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the
9	9	highest tier.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 61.059, Education Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:
13	13	(n) In addition to the other funding recommendations
14	14	required by this section, biennially the board shall determine the
15	15	amount that the board considers appropriate to adequately fund the
16	16	programs authorized by Section 61.0593 in the following state
17	17	fiscal biennium to carry out the purposes of that section and shall
18	18	make recommendations to the governor and the Legislative Budget
19	19	Board for funding those programs in that biennium.
20	20	SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
21	21	amended by adding Section 61.0593 to read as follows:
22	22	Sec. 61.0593. RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. (a)
23	23	In this section, "emerging research university" means an
24	24	institution of higher education that the board determines:
25	25	(1) is a research university as that term is commonly
26	26	used in classifying or ranking institutions of higher education;
27	27	and
28	28	(2) has demonstrated a commitment to developing and
29	29	maintaining degree and research programs that support the mission
30	30	of the institution and the institution's efforts to improve its
31	31	ranking among research universities.
32	32	(b) To enable emerging research universities to attract and
33	33	retain the most capable students, faculty, and researchers,
34	34	maintain a highly trained and dynamic workforce, obtain financial
35	35	support for research and development, promote technology transfer
36	36	and innovation in order to contribute to this state's
37	37	competitiveness in the global economy, and develop and maintain
38	38	relevant degree and research programs that are comparable in
39	39	quality to similar programs at research universities of the highest
40	40	tier, the board shall administer a program to provide funding and
41	41	other assistance to emerging research universities.
42	42	(c) From money available for the purpose, the board may
43	43	award a grant to an emerging research university:
44	44	(1) to match money the university receives in
45	45	connection with a major research grant;
46	46	(2) to match money the university commits to the
47	47	recruitment or retention of faculty or research staff who have been
48	48	recognized for professional excellence; and
49	49	(3) to match gifts or grants made or pledged to the
50	50	university that the board determines will be used to promote other
51	51	purposes of this section.
52	52	(d) From money available for the purpose, the board may
53	53	award a matching grant to an emerging research university to
54	54	support any of the following activities to the extent the board
55	55	determines the activity promotes the purposes of this section:
56	56	(1) merit-based scholarships or other merit-based
57	57	financial aid for undergraduate students;
58	58	(2) graduate student fellowships;
59	59	(3) faculty professorships and chairs;
60	60	(4) research support, including the acquisition and
61	61	maintenance of research facilities, infrastructure, and equipment;
62	62	(5) efforts to recruit and retain at-risk
63	63	undergraduate students; and
64	64	(6) efforts to recruit and train students in fields
65	65	for which the state or local workforce has a critical need.
66	66	(e) In awarding a matching grant to a university under this
67	67	section, the board may provide state money only to match money
68	68	available to the university obtained or pledged from private or
69	69	community sources, including gifts and grants, or from other
70	70	nontraditional or alternative sources.
71	71	(f) In awarding a grant under this section, the board shall
72	72	consider:
73	73	(1) the demonstrated commitment of the university to
74	74	undergraduate research education;
75	75	(2) the amount of research funding the institution has
76	76	obtained or committed annually per full-time faculty member;
77	77	(3) the professional achievements and recognition of
78	78	the institution's faculty, including election to a national
79	79	academy;
80	80	(4) the demonstrated commitment and success of the
81	81	university in developing and maintaining degree and research
82	82	programs described by Subsection (b);
83	83	(5) the level of community support for the
84	84	university's efforts to develop and maintain such programs; and
85	85	(6) the relative contribution the grant is likely to
86	86	make in carrying out the purposes of this section.
87	87	(g) In addition to funding under this section, the board
88	88	shall provide leadership and other resources as the board considers
89	89	appropriate to assist emerging research institutions in this state
90	90	to carry out the purposes of this section.
91	91	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
92	92	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
93	93	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
94	94	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
95	95	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.