An overview of the higher education budget for the fiscal year 2007 will be conducted at the Illinois Board of Higher Education meeting today.

Included in the $2.2 billion budget are state general funds for higher education operations and grants.

Eastern has not received a budget increase for university operations from the state since the 1999-2000 academic year, President Lou Hencken said in a Daily Eastern News article dated April 24, 2006. For the past seven years, Eastern has received $47.6 million from the state.

Eastern proposed a 1.4 percent budget increase of $666,533 for fiscal year 2007, but it has not been approved by the General Assembly yet.

The proposal will be presented at the Board of Trustees meeting on June 26.

The IBHE will also listen to a presentation about strengthening the ties between higher education and kindergarten through 12th grade at today’s meeting.

Kati Haycock, director of Education Trust, will be giving the presentation about the importance of strengthening the connection between all educations.

It is obvious that the ties between higher education and kindergarten through 12th grade need work, said Don Sevener, director of external relations for IBHE.

Haycock’s presentation is also known as the Illinois P-16 Partnership for Education Excellence, which means education from preschool through college.

P-16 was formalized in March 1999.

One of the goals of P-16 is to address the transition of high school students going to college as well as their collegiate career success.

“[It is] increasingly important to ensure students get into college and [get a degree],” Sevener said.

P-16’s goal of helping to bring higher education and grades K-12 closer together supports one of the missions of IBHE.

The IBHE website states, “Illinois higher education holds a responsibility to support and improve Illinois’ entire educational system from preschool through college.”

To improve Illinois’ entire education, IBHE makes necessary approvals for academic programs, and at today’s meeting there are eight new degree programs that need approval.

The IBHE board has the duty to approve these new programs for community colleges as well as other new units of instruction, research and public service.

Proposal for the programs will be “analyzed in the context of the institution’s mission, focus and priorities,” according to the IBHE website.

If approved, the programs will be used at the following community colleges: College of Lake County, Kennedy King College, Lincoln Land Community College, Oakton Community College, Rock Valley College, Sauk Valley Community College and Waubonsee Community College.

The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at Morton College in Cicero, Illinois.