The battle of the budget isn’t over, but NIU’s administration is making students its top priority when it comes to the cuts.

Eddie Williams, director of Finance and Facilities, said this year NIU has record enrollment and students may notice some differences due to budget cuts.

Over the last two years, more than $7.8 million of state funding has been cut from NIU’s budget, said Provost Ivan Legg, and he expects even more possible cuts in the future.

“We’re just going to have to run a leaner and more efficient operation,” Legg said.

“The pinches will be there, you’ll see it,” Williams said.

Fewer people will be available to provide support services like counseling and advising for students, Legg said.

No classes are going to be cancelled and students will be able to get the classes they need even though they may not be at the time they want them, he added.

“I don’t think students will notice any major changes,” Legg said. “If you pay close attention, you’ll see the classes are getting bigger.”

Students also may see a delay in service departments since the university was not able to add more staff, Williams said.

Service departments include janitorial and grounds departments, where vacant positions have not been filled, said Bob Albanese, associate vice president of Finance and Facilities.

“Our janitorial crew used to have a crew that worked the third shift, we’re going to move them to the first shift for utility and salary savings,” Albanese said.

Academic buildings like DuSable and Barsema halls will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. because of the rescheduling of the third shift janitors, he said.

This also translates to less grass cutting and less custodial workers on campus, Williams said.

About $300,000 has been saved by the cost-cutting moves in the service departments, Albanese said.

The challenge of maintaining the basic services and the cleanliness of the buildings will be harder in the fall as the number of students will be greater, he added.