Two of Greece’s largest state universities are forced to ask for urgent state funding because their operation is at stake. The National Kapodistrian University of Athens issued an “urgent and anxious” appeal for state funding along with the submission of the 2015 budget. Funding of the Athens university has seen budget cuts totalling 74% since 2009, when the economic crisis hit Greece. The institute has a fiscal gap of 9.5 million euros. The university senate submitted a draft budget of 11.5 million euros for 2015. Another higher-education institute having similar budgetary problems is the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Rector Pericles Mitkas requested additional funding for 2015, as the increase of registered students due to excessive transfers created serious operation difficulties.