This comment presumes that public universities are the proper venues for this type of research. They're not.

The only reason people are foregoing higher salaries to work at universities is because universities have pushed private research almost completely off the map.

And even if public research is necessary, it doesn't need to be part of the university system. Ever heard of the NSA? They do research, yet somehow they're able to exist without being a university.

(Not saying OP is disagreeing or agreeing with the statement from the article).