Faculty STARs Program

About

Faculty Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention (STARs) funding is provided by The University of Texas System under the STARs Program for Academic Institutions. The STARs program is funded through the Permanent University Fund bond proceeds (LERR funds) to help purchase state-of-the-art research equipment, and make necessary laboratory renovations to recruit and retain nationally-recognized faculty members to perform their research at UT System institutions. Use of these funds is governed by the Texas Constitution. Details can be found on the UT System website and a summary of these rules can be found on the expenditure page.

Purpose

UT System STARs funds are meant to supplement institutional resources for the purpose of recruiting and retaining the very best faculty. Successful nominees will have a firm institutional commitment of the amount awarded by UT System. Such commitments can include salary support and any other part of the recruiting package such as technicians, graduate students, equipment or other essential needs of the investigator.

Recruitment

Programs


Nationally-Recognized Tenured Faculty

Description: Priority will be given to recruitment of individuals with national reputations and promise of election to national honorific societies, such as the national Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, among others, or those who have been already elected to these organizations.

Maximum Amount: $500,000

Rising STARs

Description: Recruitment of promising faculty members who are recruited in a tenure-track position at any academic level, i.e. assistant, associate or full professor that are on track to becoming a national recognized faculty member. Rising STARs requests must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from Senior Vice Provost Larry Singell. Letters of recommendation should be drafted by the department and submitted with the application materials.

Maximum Amount: $300,000

Retention

Priority is given to retaining high-quality faculty who have offers from other research institutions or have the potential to leave because of limited access to quality equipment and/or laboratories.

Applying for STARs funds

 

Applications for STARs funds may be submitted year round to the provost’s office through the online submission process.

The online form will also require the below documents to be uploaded as one single PDF in the order as follows:

  1. budget justifying the amount requested. Note: Please read through the expenditure guidelines to ensure all items are allowable.
  2. Curriculum Vitae
  3. Three external letters of recommendation

If applying for Rising STARs funds the following is also required:

  • Letter of recommendation prepared for signature by the Senior Vice Provost for Resource Management
Apply for STARs funding

Applications for STARs funds may be submitted year round to the provost's office through the online submission process.

Fill out the form
Expenditure of STARs funds

All funding obtained under the STARs program shall be expended or encumbered within three years of the date of the award for retention awards, or within three years from the date the faculty member arrived on campus for recruitment awards.

More information