Eastern’s Board of Trustees approved a near $67 million budget June 26 for salary and operational expenses.

Of that, about 85 percent will be directed towards salaries and the rest will be directed towards operational expenses, which includes upkeep to the various departments and facilities on campus, transportation costs, commodities, such as paper, and other operational supplies.

The amount accounts for a $7.2 million increase over last year’s budget. Increases over last year’s budget include a $3.65 million increase for salaries; $71,800 for Medicare; $224,000 for library acquisitions; $324,600 for general cost increases; and $504,300 for utilities.

Director of the budget, Jim Shonkwiler, contributes this change to the cost of projects and inflation. He has also said that a budget’s priorities change year to year, so what might not be top priority this year could be next.

In a report about the operating revenue of the state to Eastern, the general operating revenue has dropped by $7.2 million between fiscal years 2002 and 2006. Shonkwiler contributes this to the sluggish pace at which the state’s economy is improving.

“I hope the economy can continue to improve,” said Shonkwiler. “There are a lot of global influences right now, like the war in Iraq and actions in Afghanistan.”

According to Shonkwiler, the board reached an agreement with Eastern administrators to ask for an additional $59 million for additional capital expenses to help the university’s facility and aging campus for fiscal year 2008.

Funds for equipment for the Dounda Fine Arts Center and remodeling and upgrades to the campus utilities infrastructure will be included in the budget. Although funding for equipment for Dounda is included, Shonkwiler said the construction itself has already been appropriated and it would take an economic disaster in the state to take its funding away.

Now that the board and Eastern administrators have approved the near $60 million, that request will go before the Illinois Board of Higher Education, who will meet in late October in order to discuss the budget, according to Shonkwiler.

By December, the IBHE will supply budget recommendations to each state university, and the proposals will be transferred to the governor’s office. Eastern should know by next spring or early summer if the request passed legislation.

The $59 million capital budget will be the first capital budget Eastern has brought before the state in the last two or three years and although this is being proposed before the state, Shonkwiler said there are still other things that need to be addressed under a budget.

“We continue to ask for these things,” Shonkwiler said. “Our power plant is not adequate, it doesn’t meet EPA standards and our new science building is inadequate to scientific education.”