Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Research Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Regents move to reallocate Support Fund ahead of possible LEQTF repeal; shifts target research competitiveness and endowment matches
Summary
Regents’ RSI committee voted to adjust Support Fund allocations after staff described a potential expedited liquidation of the Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund; the committee prioritized near‑term research competitiveness awards and endowment matching.
The Research and Sponsored Initiatives (RSI) Committee recommended adjustments to the Board of Regents Support Fund budget after staff described a changed legislative posture that could lead to liquidation of the Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund (LEQTF) by the end of fiscal year 2026 if a constitutional amendment passes.
Staff summarized prior obligations from the support fund, including multiyear grant commitments and matching requirements for federal awards. Carrie Robinson (senior staff) told the committee the support fund historically runs competitive programs over a yearlong schedule; RFPs typically are released in July and the board adopts awards in April.
Act 222 (House Bill 473) repealed the LEQTF and some sub‑funds and directed that funds be applied to unfunded accrued liabilities in teacher retirement. Staff said the new posture shortens the planning window: if voters approve the constitutional language scheduled for April 2026, the trust fund would be liquidated by fiscal year 2026. To maximize the board’s spending within the existing appropriation categories in HB 1, staff proposed re‑allocating available and uncommitted monies away from smaller, program‑specific lines and into the research competitiveness program and into endowment matching (professorships and workforce scholarship matches) while preserving federal matching obligations and existing endowed chair commitments.
Specifically, staff recommended suspending or terminating the industrial ties program, the proof‑of‑concept prototyping program, and the ATLAS (arts and humanities) awards for fiscal year 2026 and moving new R&D monies into the research competitiveness program to provide one‑year awards without some of the prior restrictions. The department also proposed eliminating the departmental enhancement program and channeling funds into endowed professorship and endowed workforce scholarship match pools.
Committee members approved the adjustments. Staff said it will return with a fiscal year 2027 plan and budget in the fall and that the changes reflect the board’s obligation to meet prior commitments while responsibly closing out the support fund if the voter measure proceeds.
