Nov. 4, 2009

To: UNT community members

With a yes vote on Proposition 4 in yesterday’s election, Texans established the National Research University Fund, which will provide a dedicated and independent source of funding for UNT and Texas’ other emerging research universities once each institution qualifies.

The fund will be created by redirecting about $500 million from the existing Higher Education Fund. To receive support from the new fund, UNT must meet the qualifying criteria laid out in HB 51, which considers the number of new doctoral graduates each year, annual research expenditure, faculty and student academic quality and other measures.

While UNT won’t immediately qualify for monies from this new fund if it passes, we will eventually. Already, we have taken advantage of the state’s new matching funds initiative, which aims to help us grow our research more quickly. In September, we submitted roughly $2.9 million in gifts, which we are hoping will qualify for a matching amount of $1.73 million.

These initiatives are an important step forward for Texas. They mean that as a state, Texas will be able to compete for a larger share of the federal research dollars. And, with more research universities, Texas also will be more attractive to cutting-edge industry. Research universities are at the center of innovation through understanding and they play a critical role in moving communities and industry forward. As each of the emerging research universities grows stronger, Texas’ economy and future will grow brighter.

And at UNT, we are a force to be reckoned with that is only getting stronger. Our restricted research expenditures and awards are each up over 60 percent since 2007, which is incredible progress!

Thank you all for everything you do. I hope you are as pleased as I am that we now have this state support to work toward achieving.

With green pride,
Gretchen M. Bataille
President