Controlled Research Support Program (CRSP)
The CRSP is a foundational University of Texas at Austin initiative designed to ensure institutional compliance with federal requirements for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CRSP establishes a scalable, sustainable framework aligned with NIST 800-171 and CMMC 2.0 standards to safeguard federally funded research and maintain UT Austin’s eligibility for federal awards. Why this initiative so important? Non-compliance with federal requirements puts UT Austin’s federally funded research, institutional reputation, and competitiveness for future awards at risk. CRSP provides centralized oversight, governance, and secure environments to protect sensitive research across campus.
Texas Research
The Controlled Research Support Program website from Texas Research provides practical tips for identifying projects that may involve controlled research, guidance on budgeting for security and compliance needs, and information on project onboarding and available institutional support.
Roadmap
The program moves from rapid remediation and program build through full technical maturity and into long-term sustainment.
Phase 1: Foundation
Q1 FY26
Establish the structure, leadership, and baseline compliance
- Project charter finalized
- Program Director onboarded
- Governance Working Group established
- CMMC Level 1 self-assessment completed
- Key roles defined and posted
- Staff complete DoD CUI training
Phase 2: Build and Scale
Q2 FY26
Build governance, staffing, and operational framework
TACC integration plan established
Oversight Committee launched
Steering Committee launched
Priority roles filled
Program policies and procedures completed
System Security Plan (SSP) developed for CRSP SRE
Phase 3: Implementation & Scale
Q3 FY26
Operationalize the program and deliver services
Team scaled to 10–13 FTE
NIST 800-171 controls implemented
Service-level agreements (SLAs) and support documentation established
Training delivered to key user groups
CUI-compliant services available to the university
CMMC Level 2 C3PAO assessment
Implementations
Approved Secure Research Environments
CRSP serves as the single oversight authority for all secure research environments on campus to ensure consistent compliance and reduce institutional risk.
CRSP Secure Research Environment (SRE)
Centrally managed by Enterprise Technology and the primary CUI-compliant environment for campus researchers
Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC)
An established secure environment reporting through CRSP
Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE)
A specialized secure research environment operating under CRSP compliance authority.
Strategic Alignment
CRSP directly supports UT Austin’s Enterprise Technology and CIO strategic pillar focused on research excellence, risk management, and institutional resilience by delivering secure, compliant digital research infrastructure. View Enterprise Technology's Strategic Pillars.
Audience
This initiative serves several of our UT audiences.
Faculty & Research Teams
- Conducting or planning research involving Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Principal Investigators (PIs)
- Leading federally sponsored or Department of Defense–funded research projects
Research Administration & Compliance
- Supporting contracting, research security, and compliance efforts
IT, Security & Research Computing
- Supporting and operating secure research environments
Working on a federally funded research project involving CUI?
Contact the CRSP team to understand compliance requirements, available infrastructure, and how ET can support your lab.
Executive Sponsors
Cole Camplese
Vice President for Technology & CIO
Technology & Operations
Fernanda Leite
Vice President for Research
Research Sponsorship
Cam Beasley
Chief Information Security Officer
Security & Compliance
Steering Committee
- Co-Chairs: Cole Camplese & Fernanda Leite
- Cam Beasley
- Jeremy Wilson (Program Director, Ex Officio)
- David Moss (Ex Officio)
- Michelle Stickler (Ex Officio)
Oversight Committee
- Co-Chair: Jeremy Wilson (Program Director) and Jennifer Baker (Sr. Director Research Security, OVPR)
- Emily Hurt, Jessica Vizcarra,
- Bob Gloyd, Emma Ramos, Nathaniel Mendoza
- Patrick Meyer, David Clark, David Moss
- Heather Hanna, John Lovelace, Jennifer Baker