UH gains $18.8 million in federal dollars
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
Research money earmarked by Hawai'i's congressional representatives for the University of Hawai'i jumped in the past year, making UH the 10th highest awardee of direct grant money from the federal government this year, with $18.8 million.
The rankings of 668 institutions that received specialized "earmark" money — considered congressional pork-barrel projects — were released this morning in the Chronicle of Higher Education, which has surveyed the money levels since 1989.
They also show that Hawai'i was 19th among the states in the amount of grants received.
The University of South Florida topped the earmark money list this year with $41.4 million. But the largest earmark grant went to
Alabama's Auburn University for $20 million in assistance to build a Center for Transportation Technology, a research center for analytical approaches to vehicle safety as well as highway design and construction, according to the Chronicle.
The Chronicle's survey notes that overall financing grew by 10 percent this year, reaching $1.83 billion, the highest in 14 years, but notes that some of that growth can be attributed to congressional reaction after Sept. 11, and the speed at which money was approved for projects to enhance national security or defend against terrorist attacks.
There was also a desire to get money into the community to counter the recession that followed, with money going especially to areas depressed economically.
From 1998 to 2002, the UH system received a total of $54.7 million for Hawai'i research projects, placing it 12th among institutions receiving help through their congressional leaders.
The article notes that the pork tradition of sending money back home for specialized projects has often been criticized as unfair and dependent on the power wielded by a state's congressional delegation. But institutions receiving the grants say it's an antidote to flaws in the peer-review system that favors large research institutions. It helps give smaller projects some priority, they say.
Paul Costello, UH vice president for External Affairs and University Relations, defended the money for UH and called it critically important.
"It's fairly earned, and vital to the growth of the university," Costello said. "We are continually hit by an unstable economic situation in the state and these dollars are critical to our stability, growth and expansion. If we didn't have these federal dollars we would be in a very tough situation. What may be pork to some are a lifeline to us."
Costello said there has been an "substantial across-the-board push by researchers throughout the UH system," in close cooperation with Hawai'i's congressional delegation.
According to the Chronicle survey, congressional leaders with rankings on the powerful money committees bring in the most for their state institutions. The article also said lawmakers are delighted "to serve their constituents" by bringing in the funds.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
