The ongoing debate in Springfield over the state budget has brought forth concern with the NIU budget.

The progress toward having a complete university budget was a main topic of discussion at University Council Wednesday.

“I thought I was going to have to come back for the first meeting on the University Council and say, ‘guess what, we don’t have a budget,’ but, we kind of have a budget,” said NIU President John Peters.

The state budget was passed, but due to the governor’s amendatory veto, certain parts of the budget are currently in question.

Currently, NIU has an operating budget, which covers salaries, services and utilities, Peters said.

The NIU budget called for a 2 percent increase, said University Council President Paul Stoddard.

“Last year the Illinois Board of Higher Education recommended to the governor an operating increase of 1.5 percent,” Stoddard said. “The governor in his budget message in February upped that to 1.8 percent.”

State legislature raised the operating increase to 2 percent, however, the governor’s amendatory veto brought the operating increase back to 1.8 percent, Stoddard said.

“The amendatory veto meant to us about $123,000,” Peters said.

In 2006, the state provided 26.5 percent of the NIU budget, while in 2007 the state only provided 26.1 percent, Stoddard said.

“When students complain, as they have every right to, about high tuition and high fees, the answer is we don’t want to do it, but in order to assure a quality education when Springfield is not keeping up with inflation, we have to find extra money some place,” Stoddard said. “Unfortunately, tuition and fees are one of those places we have to go.”

“No capital budget was acted on,” Peters said. “In other words, no Stevens money.”

Currently, NIU has seven projects totaling $13 million awaiting capital funding, Stoddard said.

However, there is still hope for money to renovate the Stevens Building, as the legal battle between legislature and the governor could end up overriding the veto, Peters said. Overriding the veto could possibly lead to a capital budget, he said.

Also at the meeting, Peters spoke briefly about Fall 2007 enrollment.

“We hit our freshman target, which is somewhere around 3,000,” Peters said. “Our transfer target was around 2,000.”

NIU had to turn away 400 to 500 qualified students to keep its enrollment stable, Peters said.

“I wish we could take more, but we couldn’t,” Peters said.

Also at the meeting, Brian Hemphill, Vice President of Student Affairs, briefly spoke about the Northern View Community.

Last week a meeting was held to address resident concerns with Northern View, Hemphill said.

“The way things are looking, the project will be totally complete by the end of October,” Hemphill said.