NIU President John Peters updated NIU’s budget during the Board of Trustees’ Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee meeting March 3.

“The Illinois Board of Higher Education gave a recommendation for a flat budget,” Peters said. “It is my intent to argue for the flat budget.”

Nineteen action plans were endorsed in two meetings by the Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Personnel Committee; and the Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee.

Room and board rate increases, the addition of three major emphases and a plan to make NIU comply with state-mandated undergraduate tuition rate freezes were endorsed.

A plan that allows 31 sabbatical leaves for the 2004-’05 academic year was endorsed by the Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Personnel Committee. That number is down from the 50 usually allotted, Committee Liaison Ivan Legg said.

The additions of electrical engineering technology, manufacturing engineering technology and nuclear engineering technology to the bachelor of science in technology degree also were approved. The new majors will replace the emphasis of engineering technology.

The committee also approved 260 new computers for computer labs as part of a four-year replacement cycle. Replacement computers have not been purchased the last two years, said Elizabeth Leake, associate director of Computer Support Services.

The undergraduate tuition policy implementation will be effective starting with the 2004-’05 school year and provides students with one extra semester at the guaranteed fixed rate.

“It exceeds the requirements of the law,” Committee Liaison Eddie Williams said. “Policy is in place and will begin with the fall semester.”

On March 11, the BOT Legislation, Audit and External Affairs Committee met and discussed the fiscal year 2005 budget status.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed a decrease of higher education spending of about $141.1 million. This is about a 2 percent reduction for all public universities as compared to FY 2004.

NIU actually received more money than other universities; it was cut about 1.5 percent. This is because of the governor’s regional economic development plan, which is the plan that allows NIU to offer a baccalaureate program in business in the Rockford area.

Endorsements from committee meetings held throughout the school year will be voted on Thursday at the BOT meeting. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the Holmes Student Center’s Sky Room.