Is Research Bigger in Texas? Examining the Effects of Texas's Plan for Increasing University Research

• In Event: The Influence of Policy on Institutional Research, Funding, and Access

Abstract

Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP) is a state policy that offers matching funds to incentivize private-sector donations to certain public universities. Drawing on the principal-agent theory and the principle of cumulative advantage, this study leverages a novel national dataset to examine the impact of TRIP on the number and quality of publications at eligible institutions. Using a generalized difference-in-differences approach with matching procedures, we find that TRIP resulted in increased research funding but was not statistically significantly associated with overall number of publications or quality of publications at Texas’ emerging research universities. However, research funding was associated with research production. We discuss the nuanced findings and consider whether matching donations is too distal an incentive to directly influence faculty work.

Authors

• Frank Fernandez, University of Florida
  Presenting Author

• Yuan Chih Fu, National Taipei University of Technology
  Presenting Author

• Xiaodan Hu, Northern Illinois University
  Presenting Author

• Juan José Moradel Vásquez, National Taipei University of Technology
  Presenting Author