Spring Break
Weber presents Eastern budget to Senate Senate
New members also sworn-in
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: News
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Weber showed members a PowerPoint presentation about how Eastern's budget works and struggles facing funding.
Weber said most of Eastern's funding comes from ledgers; a different monetary account the university uses to fund different operations on campus.
The ledgers that produce most of Eastern's funding are from appropriated (taxes and tuition), local/auxiliary (student fees and ticket sales), revenue bonds (residence halls, Student Recreation Center), and restricted gifts/grants (grant agencies and donor gifts).
He said ledgers must remain as separate accounts. Also, subsidies between accounting agencies like Housing and Dining and Textbook Rental Service cannot be transferred between each other.
Weber showed how the General Funding Revenue, the money obtained from state taxes, has fallen from $54.8 million from fiscal year 2002 to $50.6 million in fiscal year 2009.
During that time, Weber said the income, from student tuition, has risen from $26.9 million in 2002 to $53.1 million in 2009, placing more of a financial burden on students.
With adjustments to inflation, Eastern has $17.2 million less than in 2002.
"Our state appropriations peaked in fiscal year 2002 and we had a couple years of decline and has stabilized since," Weber said. "We really never recovered from the decline in appropriations in 2002 through 2004."
Weber also pointed out that the university gives $1.7 million to the state's health insurance fund and has a reserve of $1.26 million. These parts take about 5 percent of the General Revenue Fund, he said.
The economy is not looking good either, he said.
"Economists are still debating how long the recession will last," Weber said. "Compared to past recessions, this one appears longer than usual. The state has major budget shortcomings (of $9 billion) that will more likely than not to not only affect this year's appropriations, but next year's too."
President Bill Perry and Provost Blair Lord, vice president of academic affairs, wanted Weber to present the budget situation to university governing bodies so they would know why Eastern would cut certain costs.
Weber has already spoken to the Council on University Planning and Budget, Faculty Senate and the Civil Service Council.
In other business, Student Executive Vice President Eric Wilber said the Student Action Team would not go to Springfield on Feb. 18 to lobby for more state appropriations.
Gov. Pat Quinn moved announcing the proposed state budget to March 18. The Student Action Team will go then.
"We really need to lobby to the General Assembly because we need all the money we can get," Wilber said. "If you think (funding) is tight now, it will be tighter."
Wilber talked to Perry and said besides lobbying for more state appropriations, the Renewable Energy Center should also be another issue.
Student Senate member Chris Kromphardt suggested for the Student Action Team to petition their national representatives for a part of the economic stimulus package to go to the energy center.
Wilber said the group has not done it yet, but will consider the option.
Five new members were sworn-in Wednesday. They were Justin Barrett, Michelle Martin, Jennifer Prillaman, Jason Sandidge and Michael Stopka. Barrett served last semester on the Student Senate and Jason is Student Senate member Isaac Sandidge's brother.
Senate resolutions for on-campus visibility, Student Government issue tables, community service and the Electronic Writing Portfolio forum were passed.
The Leave of Absence bylaw change was tabled again.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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