By Joseph Barrios
Arizona Daily Wildcat
The UA received a record amount of $250 million in research and instructional grants last fiscal year.
The amount is up from the 1992-3 amount of about $235 million, said Charles Geoffrion, associate vice president for research. The University of Arizona received more funds this year despite fewer faculty and more competition for grant money, he said.
"We have some very good news right now. We've had a record-breaking year," Geoffrion said.
Total awards came to $250,035,317 from federal, state, and private grants. The biggest source of funds came from federal grants, totaling $178,638,296. A departmental breakdown of funding was unavailable.
Finding grant money has become more difficult because the UA has 200 fewer faculty members this year than it did in 1991-92 when the UA received about $183 million in research grants alone, Geoffrion said. Fewer faculty and heavier competition for grant funds makes the results more rewarding, he said.
"The competition at the federal level has gotten more and more intense. You have a hell of an intense, competitive grant environment," Geoffrion said.
"One must be aggressive to get good funding. We are pretty stable. It is very important for the UA to bring in young faculty members who have a strong and renewing influence on the (other) faculty," said Peter Wierenga, head of the Soil and Water Science department.
Wierenga said he thinks the smaller number of faculty members on campus would not hinder grant awards as long as remaining faculty are enthusiastic about applying for grants.
Tallying of the funds began in July, after the 1993-94 fiscal year ended on June 30. The UA's 1992-93 drop in grant money was the first of its kind in 11 years. Geoffrion said about $13 million of the 1992-93 funds were spent on student salaries.
Research grants totaled $202,081,785, Scholarships and Fellowships totaled $15,192,568 and public service totaled $10,670,468.