Well, I'll certainly write, call. These items can remain in flux in any state's budget for a good long time so let's hope that smarter heads will prevail. The Lt. Gov is from Worcester for crissakes.

The thing is that is truly the case that programs like this pay for themselves in the long-run. Educate people to be the best and brightest in math and sciences and these folks help the state, help the nation and usually have high paying jobs in state industries, or in education that at least in Mass. are cornerstones of the economy.

Andrea is absolutely right that Obama has finally chosen to drive home what a lot of people (including many Republicans) have been attempting for years--get this country back in the driver's seat when it comes to the basic sciences. The under-funding of the basics (my day job certainly touches that world in a big way) has gone on long enough and some major initiatives are already cooking to fix the paucity of funding over the past decade.

It all pays for itself.

I sure hope it works out for the School. I've heard of it, certainly. What a great thing for the young science mind.