Iowa is ranked sixth in the nation for having the highest average of students graduating with debt. Iowa State students alone may graduate with an amount upward of $30,000 in student loans.

In response, a crowd gathered at noon on Oct. 22 in front of Parks Library to speak out against how student debt affects them personally.

Evan Burger, a 2012 graduate in philosophy, led the crowd Wednesday in conjunction with a similar event at the University of Iowa.

“I took part in this rally to protest the [Board of Regents] talking about increasing student tuition and making the student crisis worse,” Burger said. “Personally, I’m doing a lot of work around elections making sure student debt is an issue that’s being talked about.”

Burger, an associate for the United States Student Association, organizes student-run events to encourage action in legislation that recognizes students and graduates from Iowa universities.

As the Board of Regents prepares to announce tuition policy for the coming year, student groups like Vote Mob Iowa and COGS, a graduate student union at the University of Iowa, ask the regents to support their demands for full funding of all three Iowa regent universities, reduction of administrative fees and another tuition freeze.

Kaija Carter, a freshman in liberal studies at DMACC, participated in the rally after learning that potential tuition hikes may deter her from transferring to a four-year university.

“Tuition hikes are scary. It almost feels like a death sentence for students,” Carter said. “Being out here and getting people to understand there are students willing to speak out against [debt] will hopefully empower others to know they’re not alone.”

The Board of Regents has proposed fee rates for in-state undergraduate students to increase from $7,731 to $7,851 if approved. Non-resident tuition is also proposed to increase $238 per undergraduate. The board is scheduled to vote on these rates in December.

“We are focusing on the Regents meeting to discuss tuition increases for the first time in two years,” said Jane Kersch, junior in global resource systems. “I have loans myself, and I don’t know what’s going to happen when I graduate, so I don’t want that uncertainty.”

The Board of Regents is meeting in Iowa City on Oct. 22 and 23 to discuss several agenda items on tuition policies and mandatory fees. Check with the Iowa State Daily online for more coverage and a brief schedule of the Regents’ meeting.