Eastern administrators have heard back from the state regarding budget cuts for this fiscal year, but they’re not talking.

“We have been asked to refrain from discussing specifics,” said Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich last month asked public universities to set aside 8 percent of their operating budget for reserve, equaling $4.1 million for Eastern. But higher education institutions were unsure exactly how much of the percentage they would actually have to remove from budgets.

The governor’s office would not comment on the percentage. Comparatively, Southern Illinois University Carbondale will have a call back of 2.9 percent according to two state sources named in the Daily Egyptian.

The governor’s budget address will take place at noon Wednesday.

Until then, “I’m sitting here with my

fingers crossed,” said interim President Lou Hencken.

Blagojevich will discuss budget cuts for this year and FY 04 in higher education.

“I don’t know what to speculate,” Hencken said.

The cuts for next year are recommendations.

Each university was given a nearly 24-hour period around March 20 to report to the Bureau of the Budget areas funds can be squeezed from in the three months left in this year’s fiscal budget.

Eastern planned for the 8 percent to come from 15 areas including deferred maintenance and the elimination of some non-teaching personnel, on top of the 2 percent already in reserve.

If the percentage became a reality, it would total about $113 million across higher education schools and agencies.

The full percent is not likely; the cuts of this year will likely become permanent losses for next fiscal year, Hencken said.

Blagojevich will present a “plan of rescue from the largest deficit in the state’s history,” according to the governor’s Web site.