that question came as a surprise from someone who reads >100 books a year... 
Well, let's examine the dynamics of this "suprise". We shall begin by reviewing the initial sentence from whence came the initial dilemma:
"Very good unis in the states."
First, this fragment lacks a verb phrase. It is, therefore, not a sentence. Now let us look at this fragment of a word, "unis". "Uni" in and of itself is a lowbrow abbreveation of the word "university". The lower classes of The United Kingdom, -those who cannot count themselves amongst the Illuminati- favour this sort of dialect. I, then, am not comfortable with the fragment "uni". Now, to pluralize the word fragment, and insert it into verbless cluster of words ultimately causes more confusion. As a University Graduate, I cannot accept the grunts and groans of the hairy knuckled common man as legitimate discourse.