CHAPTER 3 



AGENCY SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH IN UNIVERSITIES AND 



COLLEGES 



The Federal Government through its agencies 

 has supported basic research in universities and 

 colleges at a higher level than it has in industry, 

 nonprofit institutions, or its own laboratories. 

 Nearly one-half of all Federal funds obligated for 

 basic research in 1977 was for work done in uni- 

 versities (see Tables 3 and 4 and Figure 4 in the 

 Introduction). 



F'or 1977, Federal obligations in current dollars 

 for basic research were estimated to be $2,75.'i 

 million, of which $1,290 million was for research 

 in universities and colleges and $315 million for 

 that in associated FFRDC's. Universities and col- 

 leges accounted for 47 percent of total estimated 

 Federal basic research obligations in 1977 

 (FFRDC's, II percent). This contrasts with the 

 1968 figures of 43 percent for universities and col- 

 leges and 13 percent for FFRDC's (see Table 4, 

 Introduction). In current dollars, the average an- 

 nual gain in obligations for universities and col- 

 leges was 5.4 percent in the 1968-1976 period. 

 This annual gain increased to 13.5 percent in 1977 

 and is projected at 8.4 percent in the 1978 budget. 

 Associated FFRDC's registered a 3.0 percent av- 

 erage annual rise over the 1968-1976 period and 

 have exceeded that rate over the past 2 years: 

 10.9 percent for 1977 and 10.2 percent (projected 

 1978 budget). 



The statistics describing basic research funding 

 are illuminating not only as to allocation by per- 

 forming agency or institution but also as a record 

 of overall Federal support of university basic re- 

 search efforts. Since World War II, for instance, 

 support of basic research and the cost of such 

 work have increased greatly, especially in uni- 

 versities. Between 1953 and 1977, the increase in 

 Federal support (in current dollars) for basic re- 

 search in universities was about 25 fold; in indus- 

 try it was 5 fold. ' 



Almost all of the basic research funds allocated 

 to the "universities and colleges" category in the 

 tables actually go to universities and not to col- 

 leges. Of all universities, over 85 percent of the 

 funds go to less than 100. Thus, the basic re- 

 search activities funded by the Federal Govern- 

 ment arc concentrated in a relatively few universi- 

 ties. 



The university is a logical place to conduct ba- 

 sic research as it has science faculties capable of 

 and involved in the most fundamental research. 



Associated with them are talented and stimulating 

 graduate students available as research assistants, 

 and, over the years, libraries, computers, and 

 some of the most sophisticated and complex re- 

 search and support facilities have been construct- 

 ed at these institutions. 



The University Role 



Universities thus have become major centers of 

 basic research. Unlike most other technologically 

 advanced nations, the United States has not es- 

 tablished an elaborate system of national laborato- 

 ries, institutes, and centers separate from univer- 

 sities to conduct basic research. There are major 

 Federal and industrial R&D laboratories separate 

 from universities, but, with some exceptions, they 

 are not significantly involved in basic research. 

 The conduct of basic research by university facul- 

 ty scientists with participation by advanced stu- 

 dents not only serves the immediate need for re- 

 search but also provides the highest level of edu- 

 cational opportunity and continuity in the sci- 

 ences. During the last century it has become an 

 essential part of the U.S. way of doing basic re- 

 search and at the same time providing advanced 

 education in the sciences. - 



This chapter is confined to viewing how the 

 agencies involve universities in the conduct of 

 their research and includes comments on the ef- 

 fectiveness and health of this relationship. A 

 number of the questions directed to the mission 

 agencies addressed their relationships with uni- 

 versities in general. The agencies' descriptions 

 of their role in basic research in Part 1 occasional- 

 ly include comments on university relationships; 

 these were also used in preparing Jhis chapter. 

 The agencies dilTer in their manner of involve- 

 ment with universities as well as in their missions. 

 Thus, generalizations on how Federal agencies 

 relate to universities are difficult to make. Similar- 



'Calculated from data in National Patterns of R&D Re- 

 sources. Funds, and Manpower in the United States, /95?- 

 /977.NSF77 3IO,pp. 24-25. 



^Wolfle, Dael L., The Home of Science: The Role of the 

 University. Ttie Carnegie Commission on Higher Education 

 iNew York: McGraw-Hill, 1972). 



AGENCY SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 257 



