March 28, 2024

Iowa Board of Regents requests state funding increase

IOWA CITY (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents is requesting a significant funding boost for the state’s public universities despite the possibility of budget cuts and an expectation that lawmakers will have limited revenue to work with in the upcoming legislative session.

The Press-Citizen reports that the board is asking for a 2 percent increase in state funding for the 2017-18 academic year. The regents have said that if they receive that level of funding, they would hold resident undergraduate tuition increases to 2 percent for the next two years.

Regent officials are waiting to hear from the governor’s office on how much and where the state will make budget cuts.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Danielson of Cedar Falls says he thinks it would be possible to fulfill the regents’ request.