Iowa Regents delay state funding discussion to talk tuition report

Rather than talk about how much money to request from the state next year, the Iowa Board of Regents next week will focus their discussions on how much tuition to charge students at Iowa's three public universities.

In previous years, the regents' September meeting typically has included a discussion of state funding requests for the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University or Northern Iowa. Iowa code includes an Oct. 1 deadline by which departments and agencies need to submit their appropriations requests to the Department of Management.

The regents then turned to discussions of tuition after such funding requests were finalized. They typically have held a first reading of proposed tuition rates in October, with a second and final reading scheduled for December.

2017 has not a been typical year, however.

Over the course of the legislative session, the board saw its state funding level drop by more than $30 million — $20.75 million through mid-year cuts in 2016-17, followed by additional cuts for the current academic year. To make up for that lost revenue, the board approved additional tuition hikes just weeks before fall classes began.

Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/college/2017/08/29/iowa-regents-delay-discussion-how-much-money-askto-focus-discussion-tuition-not-state-funding-reques/613645001/