John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, used his appearance before the Senate Finance Committee to press for increased formula funding, restorations to institutional enhancement, and expanded HEAF capital support while laying out system priorities including RELLIS campus expansion, regional airport runway replacement and a proposed energy proving ground.

Sharp told senators the system now educates about 165,000 students and that research expenditures have doubled since 2012. He asked lawmakers to support the coordinating board’s formula recommendations, additional Higher Education Assistance Fund appropriations to address deferred maintenance and construction cost inflation, and a balanced allocation methodology that serves large fast‑growing institutions and smaller universities alike.

Nut graf: Sharp highlighted several system‑level capital and strategic initiatives — advocating for funding to address deferred maintenance and campus infrastructure, asking for support for the RELLIS research and test campus, and requesting runway replacement funding for Easterwood Airport, which he said has a runway built in 1941 with a remaining useful life of roughly 5–10 years. He also outlined an energy proving ground at RELLIS that would host multiple energy technologies including small modular reactors (SMRs) for research, workforce development and commercialization.

Sharp described the RELLIS campus as a research and innovation hub supporting defense, semiconductor and energy work and said Texas A&M is working with industry partners on demonstration projects and workforce training tied to new energy technologies. He said the system’s regional airport, Easterwood, has been used for hurricane response and that runway replacement is a state‑level infrastructure need; he noted the runway is not eligible for some constitutional bond programs and suggested mixed state, federal and institutional funding.

Sharp also emphasized the role of the system’s A&M agencies in statewide emergency response and research, and urged sustained support for agency operations, research funding and capital projects. He closed by thanking the Legislature for prior investments and reiterating that state funding for higher education is a long‑term investment in Texas’ workforce and communities.

Ending: Sharp said the system stands ready to work with the Legislature on fund allocation methodologies and on specific capital proposals and asked senators to treat HEAF and formula funding increases as priorities in the upcoming budget.