As the budget proposal makes its way past state policymakers, NIU President John Peters said he is unsure how the budget for fiscal year 2005 will look.

“While I’m optimistic, I doubt ’05 will hold much in the way of more resources for higher education,” Peters said.

The University Council met Wednesday at the Holmes Student Center’s Skyroom to hear Peters’ announcements.

The council plans to hear about the base operating budget by Feb. 3. Appropriation meetings will take place in Springfield in March and April.

“The economy is picking up, but it’s two steps forward and two steps back,” Peters said. “State revenues aren’t as strong as we projected.”

Peters said the faculty and students are doing as much as possible in light of budget issues.

“Things are tight, but we are together,” Peters said. “We have a lot of great students, and faculty are doing research.”

Peters introduced a new lecture series that will be held on campus beginning in February.

The Presidential Public Policy lecture series will allow attendees to discuss public policy issues after hearing a lecture from an expert.

“I would like it to feature well-known experts on a wide range of topics such as social, political, cultural and economic issues,” Peters said. “It’s intended to celebrate and nurture the intellectual life of our campus community.”

The first lecture will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 3 at the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium. The first speaker will be Michael Thawley, Australian ambassador to the United States.

Peters said he plans to raise private funds for the lecture series and wants to hold the lectures in the new Altgeld Hall auditorium in the fall.

Peters also mentioned that NIU will be reaccredited in February. A committee will be at NIU from Feb. 23 to 25 to assess the university.

“They are going to ask, ‘What does NIU do well?’ and ‘What ways could NIU improve in the future?’” Peters said. “There is no doubt we’re going to be reaccredited.”

Patricia Henry, an NIU representative of the Faculty Advisory Council to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, pointed out a newspaper article regarding faculty productivity, a recent controversial topic.

“It’s a fairly irritating article,” Henry said.

The article questions what faculty members do and how it is beneficial.

Peters also announced that the new student services software, PeopleSoft, is continuing to be implemented.

“This is good news for the students and all of us,” Peters said. “It moves us into the technological age of the university.”