College immunity: Lynch ignores big pot of money

The Union Leader wonders why Governor John Lynch isn't looking for more savings out of the University System.

As a former chairman of the university system's board of trustees, Lynch knows that the state can ax higher education subsidies if it needs to. In fact, he did it last year. He asked the system to return $4.5 million to the budget, and trustees did so.

Why isn't the governor asking the universities and community colleges to share in the further sacrifices other portions of state government must make this year?

The university system gets nearly $100 million in state general funds this year. The community and technical colleges get almost $35 million. Yet none of the $25 million in personnel savings the governor was ordered to make came from those two arms of state government. UNH laid off only seven employees this year.