Run to R1 Progress : Office of the President : Texas State University

Academic Year 2022–2023

Established the Division of Research and appointed TXST’s inaugural Vice President for Research.
Convened the Commission on the Run to R1 to guide institutional planning and recommend strategies to achieve Carnegie R1 status by 2027.
Invested approximately $18M to support 100 Ph.D. students and 30 postdoctoral researchers.
Submitted planning notifications for 11 doctoral programs to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and committed $50M to support doctoral education, strengthen graduate enrollment, and advance TXST's Run to R1 strategy.

Secured voter approval of Proposition 5, establishing the Texas University Fund (TUF), a $3.9 billion permanent endowment supporting TXST and three other emerging research universities and providing TXST with at least $22.5M annually to accelerate research growth.
Invested $6M for faculty startup packages, $2M for research acceleration initiatives, $3M for research staffing, and $30M for strategic faculty recruitment and retention.
Received TSUS Board of Regents approval for nine of the 11 proposed doctoral programs, nearly doubling TXST's doctoral portfolio and expanding research capacity in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, construction management, engineering management, and other high-demand fields.

Launched the Research Pivot Grant Program to help faculty sustain research momentum and pursue new funding opportunities amid shifting federal research priorities and funding uncertainties.
Invested $7M in faculty startups and $4M in Research Enhancement, Pivot, and Accelerator programs.
Acquired 75 acres of federally conveyed property valued at approximately $10M to serve as the future home of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center.

Acquired approximately 128 acres within the Sink Creek watershed, adding a nationally significant research asset that expands opportunities for water, environmental, ecological, and climate-related research.
Convened a series of university-wide research town halls in water, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital humanities, and aging/dementia to identify collaborative opportunities, shape investment priorities, and support the recruitment of senior research leaders.
Launched a five-year, $275M investment strategy to transform TXST's research enterprise, including $175M for core research infrastructure, $50M for research-intensive academic programs, $40M for faculty recruitment and retention, and $10M to expand grant activity, laboratory capabilities, and research staffing.
Advanced strategic faculty recruitment efforts focused on attracting distinguished scholars capable of expanding externally funded research, mentoring doctoral students, and strengthening TXST's national reputation in priority research areas.