Dallas Morning News 04/06/2008

The Dallas-Fort Worth area's economic vitality has been handicapped by the absence of a world-class research university. Following years of talk, the region's leadership must come to grips with this void and converge on a strategy to fill it.

The goal should be clear: a Tier One university, as defined by measures including admission to the exclusive, 62-member Association of American Universities. All are characterized by intensive research, elite faculty, selective admissions and strong endowments.

Austin has one Tier One (UT). College Station has one (A&M). Houston has one (Rice).

We would not dismiss or devalue North Texas' many universities and the richness of their programs. But face facts: Prowess of a world magnitude is missing.

The advantages of elite research universities are unmistakable. It's no coincidence that California's technologically fertile Silicon Valley developed near two Tier One universities – Stanford and the University of California-Berkeley.

A study on the economic impact of eight Boston-area research universities – three of them Tier One – found that about 70 percent of their total spending came from outside the area. Much of that infusion came in research dollars and the venture capital that followed.

The East and West coasts are dominant in turning university-based intellectual resources into lucrative businesses and desirable jobs. North Texas, meanwhile, is held back by an "underdeveloped infrastructure to encourage business startups and an entrepreneurial culture in the universities," according to a study done for the Dallas Citizens Council.

That infrastructure needs urgent attention if North Texas wants competitive, knowledge-based job growth.

Great centers of research-inspired innovation enjoy an advantage that this region doesn't: a critical mass of leading thinkers that attracts more leading thinkers.

Focused attention can close that gap. Strategic effort has yielded dramatic results in higher education elsewhere. California embarked on a unique tiered university system in the 1960s, restricting Ph.D. programs to select campuses. UC-San Diego is a case study in rapid ascension to Tier One status. By 1982, it was admitted to the AAU. (That was less time than it took Dallas to plan and build the nearly finished Arts District.) By 1996, UC-Santa Barbara, UC-Irvine and UC-Davis all joined the AAU, giving California nine public and private Tier One schools.

Texas political leaders surely are concerned by the state's overall deficit of top-ranked universities. But as they shape support for higher education in next year's legislative session, the economy of North Texas belongs high on the priority list. It matters statewide.

The Dallas-Fort Worth region accounts for a third of Texas' economic output. The local economy would languish if it were not a player in the global competition of ideas. A leading research university keeps this region in the game.

An effort to build a Tier One university in North Texas will center on Austin next year. At least six legislative committees or special panels are analyzing the Byzantine process for funding universities, including the possibility of redefining priorities.

A whiff of transformation is in the air. It's an opportunity not to be squandered by political, business and community leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth who understand the economic and social value of attracting creative minds to the region.

Vital to the effort will be proposals advanced by Dallas Rep. Dan Branch's House select committee on funding public and higher education. One inventive idea has come from David Daniel, president of the University of Texas at Dallas. It relies on new, bigger rewards for initiative from Texas' seven designated "emerging research universities," a list that includes UTD, UT-Arlington and the University of North Texas.

The Daniel plan calls for dollar-for-dollar matches when a university lands a major research grant, signs top faculty talent or secures gifts to the endowment. Dr. Daniel says such incentives would enable emerging universities to close the funding gap between them and top, same-sized universities nationwide.

The concept avoids mere handouts from Austin. It also could neutralize political rivalries that result in thinly spread resources across the state, which discourages other schools from reaching the elite rank of UT and Texas A&M.

Robust incentive funding holds out exciting promise for faster development of UTD, a university that has been research-focused since its inception and has built a healthy endowment. With a focus on engineering, UTD has selective admission standards that ensure high scholarship. Its strengths mesh with the area's technology-based industries.

Dr. Daniel, UTD president for three years, has established an ambitious program to catapult the university to elite status. That effort merits strong support in the Legislature next year.

This is not to discourage development of other universities and their strengths, such as UTA and its civil engineering program. And the state should reward collaboration on bio-engineering with UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas' internationally renowned medical research giant. But major strides in building the faculty and research apparatus of a general academic university takes concentrated effort.

Progress toward a Tier One university for North Texas will not be cheap, which ensures a rough go through the Legislature. A broad spectrum of local leaders should be ready for the scrap.

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D-FW needs top-tier university
Tier One status needed for North Texas' vitality
12:56 PM CDT on Sunday, April 6, 2008 Editorial The Dallas-Fort Worth area's economic vitality has been handicapped by the absence of a world-class research university. Following years of talk, the region's leadership must come to grips with this void and converge on a strategy to fill it. The goal should be clear: a Tier One university, as defined by measures including admission to the exclusive, 62-member Association of American Universities. All are characterized by intensive research, elite faculty, selective admissions and strong endowments. Austin has one Tier One (UT). College Station has one (A&M). Houston has one (Rice). Dallas-Fort Worth has none. We would not dismiss or devalue North Texas' many universities and the richness of their programs. But face facts: Prowess of a world magnitude is missing. The advantages of elite research universities are unmistakable. It's no coincidence that California's technologically fertile Silicon Valley developed near two Tier One universities – Stanford and the University of California-Berkeley. A study on the economic impact of eight Boston-area research universities – three of them Tier One – found that about 70 percent of their total spending came from outside the area. Much of that infusion came in research dollars and the venture capital that followed. The East and West coasts are dominant in turning university-based intellectual resources into lucrative businesses and desirable jobs. North Texas, meanwhile, is held back by an "underdeveloped infrastructure to encourage business startups and an entrepreneurial culture in the universities," according to a study done for the Dallas Citizens Council. That infrastructure needs urgent attention if North Texas wants competitive, knowledge-based job growth. Great centers of research-inspired innovation enjoy an advantage that this region doesn't: a critical mass of leading thinkers that attracts more leading thinkers. Focused attention can close that gap. Strategic effort has yielded dramatic results in higher education elsewhere. California embarked on a unique tiered university system in the 1960s, restricting Ph.D. programs to select campuses. UC-San Diego is a case study in rapid ascension to Tier One status. By 1982, it was admitted to the AAU. (That was less time than it took Dallas to plan and build the nearly finished Arts District.) By 1996, UC-Santa Barbara, UC-Irvine and UC-Davis all joined the AAU, giving California nine public and private Tier One schools. Texas political leaders surely are concerned by the state's overall deficit of top-ranked universities. But as they shape support for higher education in next year's legislative session, the economy of North Texas belongs high on the priority list. It matters statewide. The Dallas-Fort Worth region accounts for a third of Texas' economic output. The local economy would languish if it were not a player in the global competition of ideas. A leading research university keeps this region in the game. An effort to build a Tier One university in North Texas will center on Austin next year. At least six legislative committees or special panels are analyzing the Byzantine process for funding universities, including the possibility of redefining priorities. A whiff of transformation is in the air. It's an opportunity not to be squandered by political, business and community leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth who understand the economic and social value of attracting creative minds to the region. Vital to the effort will be proposals advanced by Dallas Rep. Dan Branch's House select committee on funding public and higher education. One inventive idea has come from David Daniel, president of the University of Texas at Dallas. It relies on new, bigger rewards for initiative from Texas' seven designated "emerging research universities," a list that includes UTD, UT-Arlington and the University of North Texas. The Daniel plan calls for dollar-for-dollar matches when a university lands a major research grant, signs top faculty talent or secures gifts to the endowment. Dr. Daniel says such incentives would enable emerging universities to close the funding gap between them and top, same-sized universities nationwide. The concept avoids mere handouts from Austin. It also could neutralize political rivalries that result in thinly spread resources across the state, which discourages other schools from reaching the elite rank of UT and Texas A&M. Robust incentive funding holds out exciting promise for faster development of UTD, a university that has been research-focused since its inception and has built a healthy endowment. With a focus on engineering, UTD has selective admission standards that ensure high scholarship. Its strengths mesh with the area's technology-based industries. Dr. Daniel, UTD president for three years, has established an ambitious program to catapult the university to elite status. That effort merits strong support in the Legislature next year. This is not to discourage development of other universities and their strengths, such as UTA and its civil engineering program. And the state should reward collaboration on bio-engineering with UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas' internationally renowned medical research giant. But major strides in building the faculty and research apparatus of a general academic university takes concentrated effort. Progress toward a Tier One university for North Texas will not be cheap, which ensures a rough go through the Legislature. A broad spectrum of local leaders should be ready for the scrap. Go Back

D-FW needs top-tier university

Tier One status needed for North Texas' vitality