The future of the state’s budget situation continues to look bleak, said administrators and the Student Government Student Action Team after a two-day lobbying effort in Springfield.

Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations, said Eastern’s representatives spent Wednesday and Thursday talking with legislators, hearing governor-elect Rod Blagojevich address the house and sitting in on the state’s General Assembly’s veto session.

Nilsen and students heard projections for the state budget that would probably negatively affect Eastern’s operating budget for next year.

Two new factors could potentially harm the university’s funds, Nilsen said.

“This is the worst budget situation in Illinois in the last 50 years as far as budget projection goes,” she said.

This also is the first time in 26 years that a new set of legislators and a new governor from the same party are preparing to take over the capitol.

“They’re all new players, which increases challenges higher education will have to face as we go into the next budgetary cycle.”

Marty Ruhaak, coordinator of the Student Action Team, said the group was disappointed with what legislators had to say.

“They said they love that students were there, but they can’t do anything for us because the budget is so tight,” Ruhaak said. “People from the IBHE said not to rule out a mid-year recision.”

Last year, Gov. George Ryan called back over $2 million from Eastern’s operating budget to help the state budget deficit, and the university is preparing for another recision.

“We knew this was going to be a tough year, but it increasingly becomes more real,” Nilsen said.

In the meantime, the state of Eastern’s fiscal year 2004 operating budget remains uncertain until February when the governor releases budget recommendations. After his budget address, the General Assembly will spend months reviewing budgets, and will make final decisions in May.