University presidents and system chancellors used their allotted time to press for a set of shared, recurring priorities: stronger formula funding, restoration of institutional enhancement appropriations, increased HEAF/HEF support for campus infrastructure, and CCAP funding for campus‑specific capital projects.

What they said: institutions framed their requests as responses to enrollment growth, workforce needs and aging campus infrastructure. Key themes and examples from testimony:

• University of North Texas/UNT System: President Harrison Keller and System Chancellor Michael Williams highlighted rapid regional population and enrollment growth, the strategic use of Texas University Fund (TUF) dollars to hire research faculty in areas including semiconductors, aerospace and cancer research, and asked for formula increases, HEAF support and funding for a Texas Talent Pipeline Initiative and a Center for Integrated Intelligent Mobility Systems.

• UNT Dallas: Interim President Warren Von Eschenbach requested formula increases, HEAF support and two exceptional items — $10 million for the Classroom to Career initiative and $2.5 million for future‑focused credentials (data analytics, cybersecurity, AI and related micro‑credentials).

• University of Houston System and University of Houston: Chancellor Renu Kator and UH leadership sought formula recommendations from the Coordinating Board (including enrollment growth and inflation adjustments), restoration of institutional enhancement funding, HEAF/CCAP for new buildings (including a sugar‑land nursing and academic facility), and raised a specific request to transition the College of Optometry to HRI formula weighting aligned to medical education.

• Texas Tech System and Texas Tech University: Chancellor Ted Mitchell and President Lawrence Schovanek emphasized workforce, water and national security research, growing research expenditures and TOUGH/TUF investments; Texas Tech requested restoration of institutional enhancement funding, research support, and CCAP for a new interdisciplinary design village.

• Regional and other institutions: Presidents from Angelo State, Midwestern State, UH‑Clear Lake, UH‑Downtown, University of Houston Victoria, Texas Woman’s, and Texas Southern argued for formula funding, HEAF investments and institution‑specific exceptional items — including STEM and aviation facilities, student success centers, autism center capacity, nursing and health‑care training facilities, and law school facility needs at Texas Southern.

Why it matters: the testimony reflects the common negotiation themes that will shape the session: whether the Legislature restores institutional enhancement, how much HEAF/HEF is increased and which CCAP projects receive debt authorization or other funding. Several institutions argued that without restored enhancement funding and HEAF investments, core academic operations, faculty competitiveness and campus safety infrastructure could be at risk.

Ending: system leaders and campus presidents said they will continue to work with the Legislature and the Coordinating Board as appropriations negotiations proceed and noted that LBB and Coordinating Board spring data updates may influence final allocations.