Eastern now has to give back 2.7 percent or about $1.4 million for this fiscal year, said interim President Lou Hencken.

The president will deliver his State of the University address Tuesday.

“I’m going to guess at least half the presentation will be on the budget,” Hencken said.

The cuts for next fiscal year will likely be 8.2 percent, he said. The losses will be more than $4 million from Eastern’s budget. The new figures came from a meeting with the Bureau of the Budget in Chicago Monday, Hencken said.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has recommended $112 million in cuts for FY 04 across higher education. Since the governor’s budget address was in April when it is normally in February, the university address will not have any news on tuition increases.

“I really do hope we will have something on tuition in the next few weeks,” he said. “As every day goes by I’m trying to get a little more information.”

Hencken said he wants tuition news to come before students leave for the summer. An increase of 7 or 8 percent is likely, but it could be more, he said previously.

“I think people know my experience in the past – I’m always one who believes in affordability.”

The university has planned to handle this year’s 2.7 percent cut with 2 percent already in reserve, and insurance costs and cuts in summer school. Classes with more available times and low enrollment could be cut from the summer curriculum. Air conditioning will be shut off in some academic buildings Friday afternoon and on the weekend to save money.

The air will run less each hour and save $50,000 this fiscal year alone. The classes or buildings to feel the temperature increase are still uncertain, but classes will be moved to accommodate the plan for the air conditioning, Hencken said. The third cut will charge some university areas for insurance that have not paid in the past, he said.

The State of the University address will be 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.