Bushs budget could hinder U research
President Bushs budget proposal for federally financed research will increase funding for some agencies, but MSU officials say a budget imbalance for 2002 may leave the university shortchanged.The National Institutes of Health, the largest source of federal research dollars, received the greatest increase - 13.4 percent - while several other agencies received little or no increases.Howard Gobstein, assistant vice president of governmental affairs for MSU, said officials are pleased with the initiative to continue NIH funding, but theyre concerned about other science agencies.This is critically important because all science is related, and to increase one area without the others is a very unbalanced portfolio, Gobstein said.Whats not well understood is how other areas of science contribute to new tools and new technology that also benefit health care.The NIH increase continues the recent push by Congress to double spending for the agency between the 1999 and 2003 fiscal years.MSU President M.