Eastern now has the money it needs to survive through the school year, following the receipt of $3 million in state appropriated funding.

The money, which Treasurer Paul McCann said came in on Friday, brings the total amount received to-date to $20.5 million. The university is still waiting to receive $30.1 million in funding.

“We’re still concerned about that, that we won’t receive it,” McCann said. “The governor’s office – and the comptroller’s – still assures we’re going to get it.”

Eastern will receive another $3 million of the remaining appropriation sometime in April in the form of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or stimulus, funds.

McCann said $3 million is about 30 percent of a month’s expenditures.

In order to deal with delayed funding and a predicted 6.2 percent decrease in appropriations, or about $3.12 million, for next year, President Bill Perry instated an equipment purchase and hiring freeze on Jan. 7. The freeze will carry over to fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1.

According to a report prepared by Bill Weber, vice president for business affairs, the freezes have generated $1.2 million in savings as of Feb. 28.

The report said students who started at Eastern in fall 2009 are paying $7,170 in tuition for the 30 semester hours of one school year, compared to $5,207 for those who first enrolled in fall 2006.

If enrollment remains steadily around 12,000 students, the university will take in an additional $3 million in tuition next year. For every 4 percent that tuition is raised for incoming students, Eastern would receive about $1 million.

McCann said fall tuition rates will be set at the June 21 Board of Trustees meeting.

While the freezes are generating some much needed savings, Perry said there are some clear drawbacks.

“There are positions that don’t get filled, of course, and that will create a decrease in service level simply because you’ve got less person-hours available for tasks,” Perry said. “The more you continue that, the more impact on your services that exists.”

Aging equipment will wear down or become less efficient over time. Some equipment will have to be replaced and some vacant positions will need to be filled to keep the university operating.

“We have to figure out ways to decide, on a priority basis, what we need to do in terms of hiring and purchase of equipment and so forth,” Perry said. “So, what we would have to do, absent new or increased revenue, is we would have to reallocate resources within the university.”

While some exceptions will have to be made, the university cannot afford to fill every need.

“The question moving forward is: ‘Are we going to have to maintain these savings?'” Perry said. “The answer right now is ‘yes.'”

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].