AUSTIN, Texas — Education leaders urged passage Wednesday of a constitutional amendment that would help create more top research universities in Texas.

Voters go to the polls Nov. 3 to consider several constitutional amendments, including Proposition 4, which would create a national research university fund. Seven universities are deemed eligible to become top research institutions, known as "Tier 1" schools.

They are Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Texas has three universities — UT Austin, Texas A&M University and Rice University — that have reached Tier 1 status.

Former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and James Huffines, chairman of the University of Texas Board of Regents — co-chairs of a group called Texans for Tier One — touted an economic study showing the new fund could help create billions of dollars in economic development in coming years.

The analysis by The Perryman Group, "Texas as a State of Minds," showed four new Tier 1 schools could generate $307 billion a year and lead to the creation of 1.2 million jobs by 2035.

Huffines said the fund would help Texas retain faculty, students and researchers and make Texas more competitive in a global economy.

"We truly in the state of Texas have a brain drain," Huffines said. "It's important that we develop more Tier 1 universities in the state so that we can retain our talent and our highly educated, motivated students right here in Texas."

Early voting in the constitutional amendment election begins next week, and Huffines said the group would promote Proposition 4 with advertising on billboards and cable TV.

If the amendment passes, about $500 million from the dormant Higher Education Fund would be transferred into a new account that eventually would generate about $25 million a year to help create new research universities, supporters say. The Perryman Group study did not specify how much is needed to push schools into Tier 1 status.

The Young Conservatives of Texas, mostly college students at public universities, oppose the measure, saying the research dollars would be better spent on tuition for students.

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