Research competitiveness set as a priority for House Higher Education Committee

When’s the last time you ate a salad or fresh produce without fear of contracting a parasite? Or bought beef at the grocery store without breaking the bank? The outbreaks of cyclospora and screwworm are direct consequences of federal research funding cuts that kept agricultural crises like these at bay. It is the reinvestment of these research dollars – specifically through applications submitted by faculty at Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Tech University, UT Arlington, the UT Medical Branch at Galveston, and UTRGV – that are leading the charge to contain an otherwise avoidable emergency. It is our Texas faculty who step in and formulate new ways to protect our livestock and agricultural economy.  

However, like many other aspects of public education, the funding is not on par with the necessity. Federal funding cuts in the past year, plus a new research regulation proposal by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), puts a real strain on our public universities’ research capacity. Across national cuts to the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and other major science and health agencies, Texas institutions are currently facing 460 disrupted grants and an estimated $1.94 billion in lost research dollars. The OMB proposal – set to take effect on Oct. 1 of this year – would add increased oversight to ensure research falls into political and ideological alignment with the current administration.  

So, what are our state leaders doing to make sure Texas universities keep their top spot for national research output? This week, the House Higher Education Committee spent two days at the Capitol hosting the first set of interim hearings to review charges on the state of higher education, research funding, and institutional competitiveness. Texas AFT-AAUP was in the building, circling back to work done with Vice-Chair Donna Howard – who filed our bill HB 4277 to remove barriers to apply to federal and private grants, and clarify previous bill language that might hinder faculties’ ability to guide graduate students through the grant writing process. Chair Terry Wilson expressed it should be the committee’s priority to strengthen Texas research capacity – and we agree. But that can only be achieved by investing in the faculty that drives that innovation forward. Texas public universities have more Carnegie R1 and R2 designations than any other state, and it is because our faculty members lead research labs, train and graduate PhD students, and write the grants that fund our institutions.  

Research generated by Texas faculty saves not only the lives of Texans, but those across the nation and the globe. UT System’s MD Anderson is the world’s premier cancer treatment and research center, made possible by the faculty doctors that lead those projects and train the next generation of healthcare providers. Other Texas university systems are also responsible for the care of Texas patients. Half of all outpatient visits are done at university-affiliated clinics and health institutions, and more than 1 in 7 Texans who seek hospital care are treated by university-affiliated hospitals.

As the federal OMB proposal moves forward, state leaders must make sure there are mechanisms in place for responsibly reviewing research alongside the faculty and industry experts. “Screwworm” and “cyclospora” might seem insignificant as budget line items, but as we’ve experienced, can be the difference between healthy families and a stable economy. When crises hit, it is ultimately university research capacity the state depends on to keep us safe.

The higher education committee held promising conversations on expanding research opportunities and ensuring we are recruiting and retaining faculty and student talent. Our Texas AFT-AAUP faculty members know exactly what it takes to make our colleges successful, because they are the root of that success. We have the same goals as the committee, and we understand it can only be achieved when the state invests in the people who keep our state gears moving: educators and researchers.