Professor recruitment program a top Abbott initiative could lose funding
Gov. Greg Abbott's signature higher education project, which aims to lure top researchers to Texas universities, is at risk of being defunded by the Legislature.
Two years after lawmakers created the Governor's University Research Initiative, both the House and Senate have zeroed out funding for it in their early budget proposals. This year, the governor's office had asked for $40 million for the initiative, the creation of which was one of Abbott's top priorities in his first year as governor.
The initiative got that amount in 2015, and the money was used to help the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and the University of Houston attract a combined total of 11 prominent researchers.
No final decision has been made on the fund this year; more money could still be added into the 2018-19 budget. But in a tight year, lawmakers are arguing that the 2015 funding might have been a one-time expense. And some are questioning whether hiring 11 professors is worth $40 million.
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/03/professor-recruitment-fund-top-abbott-initiative-could-lose-its-fundin/