How Does Texas Benefit?
Texas has three top-tier universities: The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M and Rice, which is private. Texas lags greatly in this area behind states such as California, which has nine top-tier schools, and New York, which has seven. It is important for Texas to develop more top-tier universities, particularly in major population areas such as Houston. Based on its population, Texas is estimated to lose $3.7 billion a year in federal research funds and venture capital largely because it has too few Tier-One universities.

Nationally Competitive Public Research Universities:

Fuel economic growth

• Research partnerships between tier-one universities and businesses are an important source of economic development in the form of technology commercialization, spin-off companies and job creation.
• Top-tier universities create unique opportunities for a highly skilled workforce, particularly in the sciences, engineering and professional fields critical to economic success.
• The direct effects of money invested in research multiply throughout an economy. 
• A top-tier institution will enable Texas to attract - and UH to produce - more top scientists, engineers and scholars, thereby increasing the amount of external research dollars brought in to the Texas economy.

Enhance national visibility and reputation

• Top-tier universities garner statewide and national attention for research discoveries that help create a reputation for innovation that yields tangible gains to the city, region and state.

Attract and retain top talent

• Additional top-tier universities will help in keeping more of our best and brightest students in the state, and help to attract more top students from other states and nations.

Why The University of Houston?

It's already on the verge

• The University of Houston ranks third behind UT and A&M in the following categories: research expenditures, doctorate degrees awarded and doctoral program enrollment.
• UH performs among the top 100 public research universities in the United States, as listed by the Top American Public Research Universities.
• Many UH individual programs, schools and colleges already are classified as top-tier or are highly ranked among the best in the country.

Premier location

• UH is located in Texas' largest metropolis, which accounts for 25 percent of the state's population and 32 percent of its economy.
• UH is close to the Texas Medical Center and its giant research engines, and it has longstanding research partnerships with these institutions.
• UH partners with the nearby Johnson Space Center and collaborates with the engineers, scientists and medical personnel at the U.S. headquarters of human space exploration.
• Forbes named Houston the best city for college graduates.

How Close is UH to Becoming Top Tier?
While variations exist, these measures capture the essence of a top-tier university:

Excellence in research

• The threshold for top-tier university status is annual research expenditures of $150 million or more. UH currently has $81 million in research expenditures.

Excellence in student preparation

• Top-tier universities award 100 or more doctoral degrees annually in programs that span at least 15 disciplines. In 2007, UH conferred 248 doctoral degrees in 51 disciplines.

Excellence among faculty

• A top-tier university has distinguished faculty invited for prestigious membership in the National Academies. In rankings of the Top American Research Universities, the top 50 have at least five members. UH currently has eight members.

Excellence in community support to the university

• A top-tier university has community support as evidenced by its endowment and annual giving, as well as broad alumni support.  UH's endowment value was $598 million for FY 2008, and philanthropic support was more than $80 million.

How Can the Legislature Help UH Reach Top-Tier Status?

Support efforts to obtain additional funding

• Reaching top-tier status will require an estimated annual commitment of $70 million from the state. It also must involve substantial private giving from alumni, the community and business. Public-private partnerships and synergies can enhance the value and impact of the state's investment.
• UH President Renu Khator proposed a plan that would generate the $100 million per year needed to elevate UH to top-tier status. The university would raise $50 million in private philanthropic support and would ask the Texas legislature to match private gifts for research-related activities. This could produce immense rewards and enhance statewide economic development.