Rep. Mike Lahti, D-Hancock, commented about the testimonies of Michigan Tech University President Glenn Mroz, Northern Michigan University President Les Wong and Lake Superior State University President Betty Youngblood, before the state House Appropriations Subcommittee for Higher Education Tuesday. Legislators are considering separating the state's three research universities - Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University - for purposes of funding, a change Lahti opposes. "I'm not convinced of the need to separate," Lahti said. "Those three have medical schools and that separates them from the rest of the universities and they are funded with that in mind." He pointed out "there's a lot of research going on at Michigan Tech, as well."