Eastern’s proposed budget of $47.6 million is down 16.3 percent from last year’s $54.8 million budget, State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon told the Faculty Senate Tuesday.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s proposed budget is down $5.4 million, or 10 percent, from the budget the Illinois Board of Higher Education suggested to the state.

A “truth-in-tuition” bill currently is in the legislature that proposes capping tuition for freshmen at an increase of 5 percent, a rate they would pay all four years. Another bill suggesting all tuition increases be capped at 5 percent is also pending.

“I think the reaction is that they can cap us on one end,” Righter said in reference to the 5-percent cap the state has put on tuition increases. “But please don’t cap us on both ends.”

Wilson Ogbomo, associate professor in African-American studies and senate member, said the state is asking for Eastern to “do more with less.”

Righter said Eastern’s 16.3-percent cut is near the top of the most severe cuts, and added most top agencies are receiving cuts in the low single digits.

Associate psychology professor Steve Scher said higher education was the last area to receive the benefits of the “90s boom,” but that he thinks it will be the first ones to receive cuts.

Eastern planned for the losses this year by cutting summer school classes with lower enrollment and lowering the air conditioning in some academic buildings Friday and on the weekend.

At the beginning of the meeting, Righter told the senate things looked a little different since he last visited the Faculty Senate three years ago.

He was referring to the Conference Room 4440 of Booth Library which finished renovation last spring, but he could have been easily talking about Eastern’s budget situation.

“Some say the cuts’ purpose is to chew up bloat and that it won’t affect student services,” Righter said. “Others say the cuts are too deep, they’ll cut the bone.”

Righter also discussed the state’s current budget situation. He said last year was the first year since he’s been in the Legislature there has seen a deficit.

He said Blagojevich has $88 million set aside for

new programs, but he thinks the money would be better spent on suppressing the budget deficit.

“If you have a water trough and it is half full, would you try to add on to it before you fill it up?” he said. “We don’t have enough water to add on.”

The higher education cuts only reflect a statewide budget deficit between $4 billion and $5 billion. Righter said Blagojevich will make up the money by implementing recurring taxes – paid yearly -and non-recurring taxes that will only last for one year.