The Faculty Senate Tuesday will hear from interim President Lou Hencken and Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs, on the state of Eastern’s current budget.

Hencken, Lord and two other vice presidents presented at Friday’s meeting of the Council on University Planning and Budget a suggested plan for cutting $2.3 million out of Eastern’s current budget so it can be returned to the state.

The state’s cut is the result of a dwindling state budget because of the poor economy. The governor requested funds to be recalled from the Illinois Board of Higher Education, which in return asked Eastern to send about $600,000 back to the state.

The governor has also asked that state universities pay for their employees heath care, a bill previously paid by the state, at a cost to Eastern of over $1.7 million. The budget plan included returning about $750,000 in equipment expenditure funds to the state, and reducing deferred maintenance spending by $400,000. The president has also said he is asking the four different university vice president departments to return a total of $432,300 to cover a portion of the state’s cuts.

Furthermore, the university expects to save about $260,000 since it lowered campus heating in academic and residence buildings by two degrees to 68.

The senate also will discuss final plans for next Tuesday’s spring forum. The forum takes place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Charleston/Mattoon Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The theme for the Faculty Senate’s Spring Forum is “Faculty Development at Easter: Strengths, Needs, Challenges.”