By AP/KWMU
Springfield, Ill – Governor Rod Blagojevich wants state universities to cough up more money to help balance the state budget.
Illinois universities are being asked to give up a combined $26 million.
The governor's budget office says universities were asked nearly a year ago to set aside two-percent of their state funds as an emergency reserve.
Thursday, the governor's office told universities that the state wants to tap into that reserve.
But the University of Illinois can find no record that the school was ever asked to set aside any money. And Southern Illinois University says it thought the set-aside had been canceled.
The schools say they've spent most of their money because the budget year is nearly over and the academic year is finished.