The Student Government Student Action Team lobbies in Springfield for Eastern’s interests every year, but faced a tight state budget when bringing concerns to legislators after their first visit to the state capitol last Wednesday and Thursday.

Students on the team were assigned to speak with the Illinois Board of Higher Education, House Appropriations Committee and mostly Democratic legislators, said Speaker of the Senate Bill Davison, who lobbied with the team Thursday.

“We are betting on these people to be heads,” he said, since the governor-elect is a Democrat and the house and senate will have a Democratic majority.

Lobbying issues this year focused on fifth-year Monetary Assistance Program grants, tuition problems and caps, teacher salaries and deferred maintenance, said Marty Ruhaak, student vice president for public affairs and team coordinator.

The MAP grants are an Illinois State Financial Aid Program for students with total incomes under the poverty level.

The grants were bankrupt in 2002 and then not allowed be extended past the eighth semester, Ruhaak said.

Students in programs such as pre-medicine, architecture, pre-engineering and elementary education require study past eight semesters and will not be able to receive funding, he said.

“If they need teachers, they have to have that funding,” said Student Senate member Amanda Sartore. “We have tried to convey the message about how (Eastern’s) such a small university and (the current teachers) serve as mentors.”

Ruhaak said teacher salaries were a concern lobbying because of the current faculty contract negotiations and Eastern faculty are some of the lowest-paid in the state.

Deferred maintenance funds for such areas as water heaters or elevators were lobbied for because Eastern currently has over $100 million in deferred maintenance funds, he said.

All state-funded universities will only receive $80 million this next year to divide up, said Ruhaak.

He said around $42 million of the original $123 million set aside for universities will automatically go to the university retirement system.

“It’s a bleak outlook for next year,” Ruhaak said.

He said Eastern might be asked to give money back to the state again this year. Last year, the university gave back more than $2 million.

“Administrators across the state have been asked to make sure they’re not spending freely like they have done in the past,” he said.

Last year it was easier to push for student interests, Davidson said.

“Last year, we were lobbying for state monies that were available,” he said. “This year we’re lobbying just to stay afloat.”

He said with Eastern’s current budget, those lobbying for the university can appeal to legislators who are facing a difficult budget, themselves.

“Funding higher education I think is our main concern. Especially in a budget crisis there are many interest groups out there lobbying (for funds),” he said. “We can make for very effective lobbyists. We can speak from a first hand basis on budget cuts.”

Ruhaak said legislators kept reiterating they can only work with the funds the budget allows.

“They all kind of had the same message (that) they can only do so much,” he said.

“Legislators could offer no guarantee for certain funding of higher education, especially because of projects and programs already receiving funding,” said Student Senate member George Lesica, who went to Springfield Wednesday.

“Higher education is not a priority within the state,” he said. “This year they’ve already cut a lot of the other organizations so we’re just waiting in line.”

Ruhaak said the Student Action Team will not likely lobby again until February.

“What we really need to do is sell Eastern as a good investment,” he said. “(Legislators) kind of said higher education is in the same boat as the rest of the state. It was tough for us to make a big impact.”