Texas Tech’s coveted status as a Tier One university took years to achieve. Now that Tech has earned it, what does it mean for its future? The Hub@TTU set out to find out.
The Tier One status is granted by The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which describes itself as the “leading framework” for recognizing U.S. institutions of higher education since 1973. It recognizes institutions in several categories—doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, associate’s and special-focus. Each has different levels of recognition.
“It’s kind of like an ice cream parlor,” said Mark Sheridan, dean of the Graduate School. “There are so many different types of ice cream, so they are trying to talk about what flavor of ice cream we are.”
Arturo Mora/The Hub@TTU
Tech is categorized as a doctoral university because it has numerous Ph.D. programs. There are 115 doctoral universities in the nation recognized as having the “highest research activity.” Of these, only 81, including Tech, are in the top tier.
Sheridan, who is also the vice provost for graduate and doctoral affairs, said Carnegie’s acknowledgment recognizes Tech’s commitment and accomplishments as a research university.
A research school like Tech does more for students than just give them a degree, Sheridan said. The presence of professors who are personally involved as researchers in what they teach allows them to use their professional experience to help their students.
“So you’re able to get the most up-to-date information, but you’re also able to get an out-of-class experience,” Sheridan said.
Three other Texas schools were also newly recognized as Tier One, bringing the number of Texas-based Tier One institutions to eight.
Arturo Mora/The Hub@TTU
Saba Nafees, graduate vice president of the Student Government Association and a doctoral student in mathematical biology, said the ranking made her proud, both as a Red Raider and as a graduate student.
But as a research school, Tech can never be content with its current achievement, Nafees said. Rather, it has to keep moving forward.
Sheridan also emphasized the need for progress.
“It’s important for Texas Tech to continue to grow and to expand its research capacity to meet the needs of the students, meet the workforce demands and contribute further to the innovation need of the country,” he said.
In his mind, this recognition validates Tech’s accomplishments and reflects positively on both faculty and students.
The new status could help bring more funding for Tech, although not directly, Sheridan said.
The “Hands of Knowledge” fountain south of the English building on campus. Sarah Self-Walbrick/The Hub@TTU
“It validated the value of our brand,” Sheridan said. “That contributes to our reputation and stature as a university, which sometimes does contribute indirectly to our ability to seek and secure gifts from friends and donors that understand that, yes, Texas Tech is a national research university.”
The recognition also tells Tech’s peers and others who hope to reach this status that Tech is an elite research university.
“To be in an elite category of universities is something we should all take pride in,” Sheridan said.
About Blaine Hill
