N.C. State asked for six fewer earmarks this year.

As noted previously, the university is the top school in North Carolina in earmark requests from members of the House delegation.

A school official said that it has cut back, however. Last year, the school requested 32 earmarks and received 10. This year, it has asked for 26. 

They represent only a sliver of its overall research budget, said Terri Lomax, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies.

During fiscal year 2008, the university received $8 million of federal earmarks for research out of a total of $313 million in total research spending.