UTEP becomes tier 1 research school

UTEP+is+now+ranked+a+tier+1+research+university.+

Photo / Christian Quinones

UTEP is now ranked a tier 1 research university.

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) announced Wednesday, January 9th, that it has become one of only 130 universities to be recognized as a tier 1 research school through their level of research activity, research expenditures, and the number of research doctorates granted, among other qualifications.  The school was granted this status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education; they strictly assigned this tier ranking based on UTEP’s research expenditures, undergraduate and graduate programs, and enrollment. 

Achieving a tier 1 ranking has been a lifetime goal of UTEP President Diana Natalicio. “Many universities have achieved this goal by being very guarded or competitive in terms of enrolling students at the front end,” Natalicio said. “We believed, when we began this quest, that there were far more talented young people in this community than were getting credit for having the qualifications to study here.”

UTEP’s nomination as a top tier doctoral university with the most advanced research activity means it is joining other schools such as Stanford University , University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, Rice University , and more. UTEP increased its annual research spending from $6 million to $95 million in the last 30 years, as well as increasing its doctoral degree offerings from one to 22.

Natalicio was told that UTEP would not be able to be a top tier research university as well as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a system where total Hispanic enrollment reaches or exceeds 25% of the total enrollment. As an R1 University, a qualification given to schools with a high level of research, UTEP is the only such educational facility located on the side of the Texas-Mexico border.

UTEP has gained this honor by not only achieving all the requirements needed, but also because of their commitment to allow access to anyone who is deserving of a college degree. In doing so, they hope to give their students more opportunities to earn a more advanced degree.