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Bill would open Governor's University Research Initiative to private universities; Rice and Baylor testify in support
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Summary
Senate Bill 1032 would allow private and independent Texas universities to compete for Governor's University Research Initiative (GURI) grants. Representatives from Rice and Baylor testified in favor, saying access would help recruit distinguished researchers and strengthen research programs; the committee left the bill pending.
Senate Bill 1032, laid out before the Senate Committee on Education, would expand eligibility for the Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI) so private and independent Texas universities may compete for grants used to recruit distinguished researchers.
Senator Hinojosa, presenting the bill on behalf of Senator Kolkhorst, said GURI grants contribute up to $5 million per recruitment to attract distinguished researchers and described the program’s goal of helping universities recruit major faculty talent. “Senate bill 10 32 opens up the Governor's University Research Initiative, also known as GURI, to private and independent universities in the state of Texas,” he said.
Michael King, associate vice president for research at Rice University, described how competitive recruitment awards had supported Rice’s faculty hiring and partnerships with institutions such as MD Anderson and UT Health. “These faculty recruitments have allowed Rice to build partnerships with the Texas Medical Center with public institutions such as MD Anderson and UT Health,” King said in support of SB 1032. Kevin Chambliss, representing Baylor University, testified that Baylor’s R1 status and planned growth in engineering and health fields make access to GURI funding important for recruiting faculty and supporting students.
Committee members asked technical questions about whether an eligible institution could use funds to recruit from other Texas institutions versus recruiting from out-of-state. Witnesses and members clarified the fund is generally targeted at recruitments from outside Texas and that receiving a grant would not permit recruiting distinguished researchers from other Texas institutions that are already eligible for the program.
Public testimony closed with no additional witnesses; the committee left SB 1032 pending subject to the call of the chair. A committee substitute was submitted and identified as a Legislative Council draft; no roll-call vote was taken during the hearing.
