Illustration by Danielle Duran
In recent years, Montclair State University has made great strides in becoming a Hispanic-serving institution, a pioneer in educational leadership, and a leader in affordable excellence. And yet, how many Red Hawks know that the school is reaching towards R1 status?
R1 means “very high research activity” status as defined by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, and is a college and university comparison done by the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C.
As of current, MSU is an R2 university, meaning “high research activity.” The university has had this Carnegie Classification rating since 2019, and President Jonathan Koppell’s administration is reaching for R1 glory. Acquiring that prestigious feat would be a crowning achievement in the university’s 118-year history. It would also be a public relations boost, even if it means shooting for the moon.
To call President Koppell’s aspirations ambitious is an understatement. This is not just because of the funding needed to even cross the R1 threshold but also because of the astronomical sum needed to actively compete with deep-pocket R1 universities.
According to the Carnegie standards, to earn R1 designation entails spending at least $50 million in annual research expenditures. It also requires awarding 70 research doctorates per year. However, if we look at the financial disparity between MSU and in-state R1 titans, this mission appears more intimidating.
According to recent data, Princeton University spends $579.9 million on research and boasts a $36.4 billion endowment, while Rutgers University New Brunswick shells out $993 million on research and has a $2.35 billion endowment.
In stark comparison, MSU allocates $45.43 million on research and has a $157.85 million endowment. Although MSU is an R2 institution, the fact remains that it has nowhere near the capital of Princeton and Rutgers. Even NJIT, which is New Jersey’s third R1 university, earmarks $178 million for research; that figure alone surpasses MSU’s endowment.
The point is that it takes a staggering amount of wealth to achieve R1 ranking, hold it, and compete against richer R1 institutions. Getting the “very high research activity” label invariably comes with the “very high expenditure activity” price sticker.
The new Interdisciplinary Science Building, which just broke ground, is a $120 million project aiming to provide state-of-the-art research facilities and collaboration with partnering companies. Vying against established R1 universities will inevitably require more of these high-price constructions.
That’s just the beginning. Each specialized center needs high-tech equipment and computers, advanced machinery, and maintenance contracts. To get big-dollar handouts, MSU needs to hire faculty who are proven grant-writers, and hiring high quality professors from existing R1 universities is a giant money drain. A single such hire comes with a six (or seven) digit price tag.
Another point to consider is financing research assistants, scholarships for doctoral students, and compliance monitoring personnel. Managing an R1 institution necessitates a huge regulatory bureaucracy.
And if MSU garners R1 status it will need an enormous fiscal cushion to preserve that title. What if a grant fails to materialize? What if donations fall short? What if the university’s R1 sustaining operations prove far more expensive than anticipated?
Furthermore, how will the Koppell administration square its R1 target with MSU’s social mobility reputation? A social mobility university means being an affordable one. This begs the question, “How do you keep tuition down and also support enough research to sustain being an R1 school?” That is an especially relevant question since MSU does not get its fair share of aid from Trenton.
In principle, I think it is great that MSU has a president who thinks large. After all, an ambitious mindset orients the university towards new heights. A prime example of the Koppell administration’s initiative is the Bloomfield College acquisition, which has provided a diverse group of students with greater access to higher education and lower tuition. However, it’s a whole different story when seeking R1 membership.
While reaching R1 statues would differentiate MSU from other state colleges, it’s a great economical risk that will take years of financing to accomplish successfully. The Interdisciplinary Science Building, set to open in 2028, will serve as the necessary foresight for just how high our school will reach.
