In response to the state budget proposal made by Governor Chris Sununu on Thursday, which didn’t include any increase in funding for the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), UNH President Mark Huddleston sent out an email to the university community on Saturday saying that this decision by Sununu is “obviously deeply disappointing.” Huddleston also noted that the proposed budget provides no funding for infrastructure improvements on any of the UNH campuses.

However, as mentioned in Huddleston’s email, Thursday’s proposal was only the beginning of the process to finalize the state budget, as it must now be approved by the New Hampshire House of Representatives before the state Senate makes the final decision on the matter in April.

“We look forward to continuing our case with Gov. Sununu and legislators over the coming months,” Huddleston said. “There is still time to show our state lawmakers why UNH is worthy of state support.”

UNH senior history major and USNH student board representative Lincoln Crutchfield had a response to the budget proposal that was similar to Huddleston’s.

Crutchfield, who said he was disappointed for a number of reasons, mentioned faults of the proposal, including that it was “essentially an inflation cut” and that it provides no capital for “much needed upgrades that I think we can all agree would benefit the state.”

Crutchfield said he has “no idea” what the timeline for the budget proposal looks like, other than when the committee hearings will take place, but according to him, individuals in the university system from all of the respective institutions will continue to press upon the state the need for capital appropriations that will promote aid for infrastructure challenges.