Faculty Senate members questioned representatives from Facilities Planning and Development about their office windows.

The facilities department members told the senate of current and future projects, and window improvements were on the list.

The window of update will likely be an annual event with various university groups, said facilities interim director Carol Strode.

Facilities department members said they field about 30,000 requests for maintenance each year from the university community.

Filing those requests could soon be easier, said Jim Nantz, a director of the physical plant.

The department plans to add an electronic method so anyone can type in a building location and need for maintenance from any university browser and see a list of all open maintenance requests, Nantz said.

“I’d like to have something online, maybe even this summer,” he said. “The only thing holding us back is the money.”

The state budget woes were mentioned in many of the facilities projects described to the senate.

The Tarble Arts Building is waiting on contract bids to be signed for expansion to start.

Construction will begin or is underway for Old Main, elevator upgrades in Stevenson Hall, the Human Services building, several housing buildings, Coleman Hall and on data wiring in the academic and administrative buildings, among other sites.

Replacement and renovation of windows in Pemberton Hall is 40 percent complete, but it must be kept in accordance with Illinois Historic Preservation Agency requirements, said Steve Shrake, architect and also director of physical plant.

The Comprehensive Technology Planning Committee is not acting as efficient as possible, said Doug Brandt, physics professor and senate member.

The senate decided to discuss the committee at a later meeting and possibly make recommendations about membership.

Brandt is the only undergraduate faculty representative.

The committee’s purpose is to prioritize the technological needs of the campus, something not always done, Brandt said.

“Clearly we need a structure,” senate chair Anne Zahlan said. “There’s just a pile of grant applications sitting there.”

Eastern still has not heard from the state regarding action to take on Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s request for public universities to set aside 8 percent of the operating budget for Fiscal Year 2003.

“We’re still waiting with baited breath for the Bureau of the Budget to say what they’re going to cherry pick for reserve,” said Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs.