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URI celebrates Carnegie R1 designation and research growth; $65 million Schilling gift highlighted
Summary
At the Feb. 13 Board of Trustees meeting, President Mark announced that the University of Rhode Island has been designated a Carnegie R1 research university and highlighted increases in research funding and publications.
The University of Rhode Island announced at its Feb. 13 Board of Trustees meeting that it has been designated a Carnegie R1 research university and that research activity, funding and scholarly output have increased substantially in recent years.
President Mark (President, University of Rhode Island) told trustees the Carnegie R1 designation became official at 12:01 a.m. on the day of the meeting and described the designation as recognition of increased research productivity and doctoral-degree growth. “We joined really — we’re in the top 4.5 percent of research universities across the nation,” he said, noting growth in doctoral enrollments and a larger research portfolio.
Why it matters: Carnegie R1 status typically signals elevated research activity and helps universities recruit doctoral students, faculty and research partners. Trustees discussed the designation alongside other developments the president highlighted, including a major private gift and rising federal funding that university leaders connected to doctoral recruitment and program growth.
Key details presented to the board: - Schilling gift: President Mark said the university received a $65,000,000 gift from the Schilling family to establish the Schilling Scholars Program, intended to support students interested in STEM fields. - Research funding and output: The administration reported research expenditures up roughly 25 percent over the last five years and a nearly 30 percent rise in research publications by measure of the Web of Science. Vice President for Research Bethany Jenkins briefed trustees that the university’s extramural awards were about $146 million and that awards and indirect-cost receipts have risen, including a large NOAA/undersea-exploration portfolio coming online. - Faculty recognition: Trustees heard that two junior faculty won presidential early-career awards — an engineering faculty member, referred to as Ashgiri (thermal-fluids research), and Justin Parent in psychology — which leaders said underscored rising research quality.
President Mark and research leaders tied the designation and funding increases to ongoing recruitment and infrastructure priorities: improved stipends and start-up packages for Ph.D. students and junior faculty, new lab investments, and plans to continue fundraising and public-private partnerships. Bethany Jenkins described a recent jump in awards received and said the university’s award portfolio and indirect-cost recovery are both tracking upward.
The board paused open-session business for a congratulatory community event during the meeting; trustees and campus leaders later resumed committee work. No formal policy change was recorded in the open session as a direct result of the Carnegie designation at that meeting.
Speakers and staff who discussed research and the R1 announcement at the meeting included President Mark and Vice President for Research Bethany Jenkins; trustees and other leaders also participated in subsequent committee discussions about research, graduate programs and related investments.
