The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education杏吧专区檚 R1 designation cements a university杏吧专区檚 position as a top-tier research institution, punctuating academic excellence, scholarship, research, service, innovation and global impact. It杏吧专区檚 a designation just 146, or 3%, of the country杏吧专区檚 public and private universities have earned, a lofty perch the 杏吧专区 grasped at the close of 2021. The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 R1 status brought notice in Washington D.C., applause from Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and state lawmakers in Baton Rouge, and merited a campus research showcase. R1, indeed, is a very good place to be. Topping a long list of reasons why? Its capacity to empower.
The R1 designation, which Carnegie evaluates every three years, provides a springboard for a university to expand the cutting-edge research and scholarship that propelled it to R1; strengthens its ability to attract exemplary students and faculty members; and fans its role as an engine for economic and workforce development. Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, said the designation places a resounding stamp on the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 longstanding reputation as an international hub for teaching, learning and research. It also offers a gateway to opportunity. 杏吧专区淩1 is a testament to our faculty, staff and students who, together, have proven dedicated, capable stewards in the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 decades-long mission to create an environment that fosters student success and where life-changing research happens,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭hat杏吧专区檚 cause for immense pride and confidence, especially as we move forward. As with those who came before us, it is our obligation to make certain that those who come after us can reach even greater heights.杏吧专区
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, vice president for Research, Innovation and Economic Development, said the 杏吧专区 is well-positioned to leverage R1 status. His reasoning is straightforward: 杏吧专区淩1 opens doors.杏吧专区 The designation provides access to external funding a university otherwise wouldn杏吧专区檛 be eligible to pursue; paves the way for new academic degrees and programs; gives additional heft to graduates杏吧专区 degrees; spurs partnerships with industry seeking established sources of intellectual capital; influences policymakers and lawmakers; and inspires philanthropy. 杏吧专区淩esearch isn杏吧专区檛 done on an island, and we杏吧专区檙e engaging with collaborators who might not have sought us out before. I杏吧专区檓 seeing it from industry. From federal funding agencies. In interest from the community,杏吧专区 Kolluru said.
杏吧专区淩1 opens doors.杏吧专区 Dr. Ramesh Kolluru
It all amounts to self-generated opportunity. The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 research and development expenditures, a key metric in attaining R1 status, increased by $119 million between 2013 and 2021. UL Lafayette also secured $65 million in federal R&D funding, the most in history. And, for a second consecutive time, it is the nation杏吧专区檚 seventh-best university for research funded through collaboration with business and industry. 杏吧专区淲e intend to sustain that momentum,杏吧专区 Kolluru said, 杏吧专区渁nd keep moving forward.杏吧专区
Graduate School growth, another factor in the attainment of R1 status, has also been substantial. From Fall 2010 to Fall 2021, overall graduate enrollment rose 73%. The increase among doctoral students was 47%. That has translated into a record number of graduate degrees awarded since 2010; master杏吧专区檚 degrees climbed by 81% and doctoral degrees by 120%. Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the Graduate School, attributes the growth to 杏吧专区渙ur faculty members, who perform at a very high level, and our graduate programs, which offer tremendous opportunities for our students to succeed in the classroom and seek high-demand jobs once they graduate.杏吧专区
Farmer-Kaiser envisions continued progress as a result of the R1 designation, which is influencing a push to develop additional graduate programs, degrees and initiatives, particularly at the doctoral level. That will happen as a function of the same sort of intentionality that has helped guide Graduate School successes and earned R1 status for the 杏吧专区, she explained. 杏吧专区淣either has been accidental, nor happened overnight, but are the result of comprehensive strategic planning and step-by-step gains.杏吧专区
Following the R1 designation, the 杏吧专区 created a $400,000 dissertation fellowship fund through a partnership with the UL Lafayette Foundation. The fund will support doctoral students in their final year of study, enabling them to focus solely on researching and writing their dissertations. That杏吧专区檚 significant for students and, as with R&D expenditures, is important to R1 status.
Carnegie considers three weighted values in according the designation: R&D expenditures reported through the National Science Foundation杏吧专区檚 Higher Education Research and Development Survey; the number and caliber of research staff; and the number of doctoral degrees awarded. Expenditures are measured in STEM subjects 杏吧专区 science, technology, engineering and mathematics 杏吧专区 and areas such as business, education, humanities, public policy, social science and social work, Kolluru said. 杏吧专区淩1 is proof positive that we perform at a high level, across campus, and that杏吧专区檚 exciting, because it will enable us to strengthen our research infrastructure, and strategically create new academic programs and full-time faculty positions across all colleges.杏吧专区
For Kolluru, the 杏吧专区-wide advantages of being an R1 university 杏吧专区 the validation it offers, the opportunities it affords, the potential it engenders 杏吧专区 rest heavily on one word: investment. 杏吧专区淥ur R1 success has resonated so widely, and is so essential, because it affirms what we and others have long known 杏吧专区 we are a good investment,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭he community knows we杏吧专区檙e a good investment. Industry knows we杏吧专区檙e a good investment. Our supporters, whose generosity helps to propel student and faculty success, know we杏吧专区檙e a good investment. Employers know our graduates are a good investment.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淪o now, as much as at any time in history, we are poised to become an exponentially stronger investment. And that will happen as it always has, by redoubling our commitment to our core foundational values, our dedication to academic excellence and our pursuit of research that has global impact,杏吧专区 Kolluru said.
Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 杏吧专区
This article first appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of La Louisiane, The Magazine of the 杏吧专区.