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Lawmaker Proposes Security Council for Top-Tier Research Universities

With Texas now home to the most Tier 1 research institutions in the country, one lawmaker seeks to strengthen research security.

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One lawmaker is advocating for the creation of a Higher Education Research Security Council to promote secure research and mitigate espionage.

According to a new report, Texas now leads the nation with 16 Tier 1 research institutions.

These universities, according to Carnegie Classifications, must spend at least $50 million on research and award at least 70 research doctorates per year.

Senate Bill 1273 by State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would establish a Higher Education Research Security Council to develop policies to strengthen Tier 1 research security.

The legislation states the council may also create an accreditation process to recognize Tier 1 institutions with excellent security and develop an annual security training program that includes education related to conducting background checks for researchers and useful tools to prevent intellectual property theft.

Under the law, the council would serve both public and private institutions of higher education.

A recent Texas House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations report identified four key threats to research security. Threats included foreign gifts and contracts, foreign researchers and talent recruitment programs, compromised technology when traveling abroad, and exploited research partnerships.

If SB 1273 passes, the Higher Education Research Security Council would meet at least once each quarter and be prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or any other country designated as a country of concern by the United States secretary of state.

Tier 1 universities in Texas include:

  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • Baylor University
  • Rice University
  • Southern Methodist University
  • Texas A&M University-College Station
  • Texas Tech University
  • The University of Texas at Arlington
  • The University of Texas at Austin
  • The University of Texas at Dallas
  • The University of Texas at El Paso
  • The University of Texas at San Antonio
  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • University of Houston
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Valerie Muñoz

Valerie Muñoz is a native South Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she studied journalism. She is passionate about delivering clear and comprehensive news to Texans.

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