Northern Michigan University's board approved a preliminary budget Thursday that is about $1.4 million less than last year's budget. The $93.3 million budget for fiscal 2006 was developed based on Gov. Jennifer Granholm's funding proposal that calls for an $888,000 reduction for NMU. The budget does not take into consideration separate funding proposals approved by the state House and the Senate. Wayne State University and Northern Michigan are the only universities that would experience funding cuts under those proposals. A House-Senate committee is working on a compromise plan.