Editor’s note: This article reflects the Proposition 5 debate in October 2023 and includes the measure’s eventual outcome.
Texas Tech University stood to receive millions of dollars for research under a proposed state endowment that supporters said could also strengthen Lubbock’s broader economy.
Texas voters considered the proposal—listed as Proposition 5—during the November 2023 constitutional-amendment election. It sought to establish the Texas University Fund, or TUF, with approximately $3.9 billion in existing state money. Officials said its creation would not require a new tax.
Along with Texas Tech, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas and Texas State University were initially eligible to receive funding. Other public universities could qualify later by meeting research and doctoral-degree requirements.
Millions projected for Texas Tech
University officials initially estimated that Texas Tech could receive approximately $44 million during the fund’s first year. The money would be restricted primarily to research-related purposes, including:
- Recruiting and supporting research faculty
- Purchasing laboratory equipment and library materials
- Funding undergraduate and graduate research
- Expanding technology transfer and commercialization
- Supporting patent development
- Increasing the number of research doctoral graduates
Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said the university was considering hiring between 100 and 150 additional faculty members, along with employees needed to support their work. Graduate research would be a major priority, although undergraduate students would also benefit.
The university expected to direct funding toward established research strengths such as agriculture, energy, climate science and national security. Texas Tech also planned to expand its One Health initiative, which examines connections between human, animal and environmental health.
Research investment could circulate through Lubbock
The proposed funding was important not only to Texas Tech but also to businesses throughout Lubbock.
New professors, researchers and support employees would need housing and spend money at restaurants, grocery stores and other local businesses. Additional housing demand could create work for construction companies, real-estate professionals, banks, title companies, furniture sellers and home-service providers.
Local business leaders interviewed by Lubbock Lights argued that Texas Tech’s growth has historically supported Lubbock’s housing and retail sectors. They expected new research investment to attract federal grants and outside partnerships, bringing additional money into the region.
The economic effects could extend beyond direct university employment. Research conducted at Texas Tech supports major West Texas industries, including cotton production, water management, energy and food safety. Greater research capacity could help regional businesses improve technology, increase productivity and commercialize new ideas.
Different from the Permanent University Fund
The Texas University Fund was designed partly to narrow the funding gap between eligible research institutions and universities supported by the much larger Permanent University Fund.
The Permanent University Fund, commonly called the PUF, principally benefits institutions within the University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems. Universities receiving PUF support are not eligible for TUF distributions.
State lawmakers authorized the TUF through legislation passed during the 2023 session, but creating the permanent endowment required approval from Texas voters. The Texas Comptroller’s legislative review described the fund as a dedicated and independent source of research support for public universities outside the PUF structure.
Building on earlier research growth
Texas Tech had already expanded its research activity substantially before Proposition 5 reached the ballot. According to university officials, annual research spending increased from roughly $130 million to more than $230 million over the preceding decade.
TUF support was expected to help Texas Tech pursue larger federal projects, attract prominent researchers and increase the number of doctoral graduates it produces. More university research could also lead to new companies, patents and licensing opportunities.
However, officials did not guarantee that research funding would produce a major increase in undergraduate enrollment. Universities were already preparing for a projected decline in the traditional college-age population, often described as an “enrollment cliff.”
The university’s immediate objective was therefore to strengthen the quality and scale of its research—not simply increase student numbers.
Voters ultimately approved the fund
Texas voters passed Proposition 5 on November 7, 2023, with more than 60% support, formally establishing the Texas University Fund. Texas Tech confirmed the result the following day.
The fund subsequently began distributing money to eligible institutions. A Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board report shows that Texas Tech received approximately $60.1 million from the $183.3 million distributed for fiscal year 2025—more than the university’s original first-year projection.
For Lubbock, that investment represents more than additional university funding. It has the potential to support jobs, attract outside research money and produce innovations benefiting businesses throughout West Texas.
