Central Michigan University officials disagree with Gov. Jennifer Granholm's plan to separate Michigan's three flagship universities - Wayne State, Michigan State and University of Michigan - from the state's 12 other public universities in the governor's 2007-08 budget proposal. "They aren't the only institutions in the state that do research," commented CMU spokesman Rich Morrison. "CMU was just recently recognized for the amount of research we do based on the number of Ph.D. programs we offer." He added that the governor's plan to separate the three research universities from the others with regard to funding will "exacerbate the problem with two separate funding sources." State Rep. Bill Caul of Mt. Pleasant, minority vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on Higher Education, said he believes the budget proposal is "moving in the wrong direction. It creates an opportunity for more disparity."