Eastern Michigan University looks for sacrifices to fix its budget - DAVID JESSE, Detroit Free Press

It costs Eastern Michigan University $275,000 a year to pay its cell phone bill. But not for long. EMU President Susan Martin plans to get rid of the vast majority of phones paid for by the university as part of a budget for next school year that also will lay off 50 employees and get rid of 70 positions. Martin is also asking all employees to give up all contracted pay increases next year. Michigan's other public universities are also in cost-cutting mode. They are likely to continue reducing travel costs, looking for energy cost savings and trying to contain health insurance costs in their budgets for next year, which will be approved in a series of meetings later this month. The University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University aren't tipping their hands on what their exact cuts will be.