Iowa House of Representatives

The Iowa Board of Regents gave their first approval today to a 3.2 tuition increase at state universities next year, the lowest increase since 1980.   Keeping tuition affordable at our state univerisities was one of the top priorties of Democrats in the Iowa Legislature last year.

The scoop from the Cedar Rapids Gazette:

“Students at Iowa’s state universities will likely pay a 3.2 percent more in base tuition next year, after the state Board of Regents gave initial approval to proposed tuition increases today.
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The Government Oversight Committee opened up two days of hearings on the high debt levels of Iowa students.  Today, the committee will hear from student representatives at Iowa universities, receive an audit on the Iowa Student Loan Program, and hear from representatives of the Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation.

State Representative Vicki Lensing, co-chair of the Oversight Committee, opened the meeting with this opening statement (click for MP3). 

From the Des Moines Register:

Students attending Iowa’s public universities next fall will see some of the lowest tuition increases in recent history.

The tuition increases, which range from 2.2 percent to 9.9 percent, depending on residency and program of study, were reported this morning in the docket for the Iowa Board of Regents meeting Wednesday in Iowa City.

The board will likely vote on the hikes in December.

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