Twenty-two hours and counting.

From the time they left the higher education meeting, Eastern administrators had less than a day to find university areas that can survive with less money.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education met in Springfield Wednesday with mostly legislative liaisons, university vice presidents and the Bureau of the Budget to hear questions on Fiscal Year ’04 budget reductions.

“We’ve got until the close of business,” said Jeff Cooley, vice president of academic affairs. The IBHE expects cost cut reports from university executives by late afternoon Thursday.

The state has already announced cuts of 10 percent for administration costs and permanent improvement projects. Areas of grants and contracts will feel 5 percent losses and operative cost 8 percent.

Eastern has no definite ideas of what will receive fewer funds, Cooley said.

“We’ll certainly look at all areas of university budget,” he said.

The first cuts can initially come from deferred maintenance, projects not already started and travel fees not committed.

“That’s easy pickings,” he said.

It all depends on Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s budget address in April.

Cooley said that is the reason for the 22-hour time limit.

The state realizes the situation universities are in, one expressed through frustration by all university representatives, he said.

“There was a high degree of frustration for the timing of this,” he said. “They’re receptive, they’re listening, but they’re also under the time constraint to get this pulled together,” for the budget address.

The universities also realize the plight of the state and are willing to work with the Bureau of the Budget, Cooley said.

The budget cuts are still unsure for this fiscal year ending in June.

Early this month, the government asked public universities to set aside 8 percent of this year’s operating budget.

The 8 percent reserve would total about $113 million across higher education schools and agencies.

Interim President Lou Hencken has called a meeting with executive committees of major university councils for Thursday.

The Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, Student Government, Civil Service Council and chair of the Council on University Planning and Budget will be present.

The meeting will discuss “the latest happenings with the budget,” said Judy Gorrell, executive secretary to the president.