Proposition 4 — Good for state's higher ed, but good for South Texas?

Proposition 4, which would establish a $500 million fund for Tier 1
universities, could have a significant impact on South Texas even though none of
the local universities would be designated as Tier 1, also known as an emerging
research university.

The additional seven universities — University of
Texas-Arlington; University of North Texas; University of Texas-Dallas; Texas
Tech University; University of Houston; University of Texas-San Antonio and
University of Texas-El Paso — were chosen based on student enrollment, research,
and doctoral and professional programs.

“South Texas below San Antonio,which has been underserved by doctoral and professional schools, will be locked out from significant growth in these kinds of programs for decades to come if the state makes this commitment to create essentially seven more UT-Austin/Texas A&M-College Station national research or Tier 1 institutions,” Phaup said.

“It is going to leave all the institutions not included in this list
high and dry when it comes to obtaining adequate funding, much less when it
comes to serious expansion of programs,” Phaup said.

The "powers that be" have made yet again everything south of San Antonio invisible.