The state Board of Regents voted unanimously to rescind the $100 spring tuition surcharge, crediting the amount back to students after learning that Gov. Chet Culver intends to return some money to the regent institutions this fiscal year. The vote to revoke the surcharge is contingent on the state Legislature’s approval of Culver’s newest budget plan.
The board’s vote came just minutes after regents approved a 6 percent tuition hike for the UI, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa. The board voted 7-2 in favor of the tuition increase, with regents Ruth Harkin and Michael Gartner voting against.
Regent President David Miles spoke in favor of the increase, saying it was necessary with the financial issues facing higher education in Iowa.
“I am very concerned that if we do not do this, what I believe is the minimum we can do of 6 percent, we will harm the quality of the institutions and we will find ourselves, a year from now, looking for something even more in terms of increases and making a difficult situation even worse,” he said.
After the tuition vote, Miles asked the board to discuss whether universities still needed the surcharge (which is $100 for full-time students, prorated for part-time students). The conversation is in light of Culver’s regent budget proposal, which would pour roughly $31 million back into the regent system this fiscal year, which ends in June.
“This is something that we did quite reluctantly, to have a mid-year increase,” Miles said, later adding, “I think it’s an important statement by this board of thanks, basically, to the students for their willingness to do this. … Our cuts are still well beyond this, and we’re by no means being made whole by the return of $31 million.”
A financial aid representative said it would be easy to credit the surcharge back to students, after regents expressed concern with the cost and logistics of the move.
The regents are now discussing splitting Hancher Auditorium and the UI School of Music. Check dailyiowan.com later for more on today’s state Board of Regents meeting.
