Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has proposed a 2.6 percent increase in base appropriation funding for the next school year (2013-14) to the Iowa legislature.

This would provide the regent universities — Iowa State, Northern Iowa and Iowa — with an additional $4.4 million in state funding.              

Provost Jonathan Wickert said, “That’s a wonderful proposal from Iowa State’s perspective because it really demonstrates the governor’s commitment to higher education in the state.”

The extra money would provide Iowa State with the means to freeze undergrad resident tuition.

That way, the institution money can be directed toward students and their educational experience.

Programs such as academic advising, student career services, campus security and hiring additional faculty would benefit from the extra income as well. Wickert also said that the university and Government of the Student Body are working on a proposal to expand the hours of the university library.

“We’re very excited that the state is going to make an additional investment in the university,” Wickert said. “The governor’s proposed increase and the tuition plan for next year go hand in hand.”

The proposal will be discussed in the Iowa Legislature during their session of January to May.

The Legislature has been in session since Jan. 14 and will be working on every single bill that concerns the state of Iowa.

Roberta Johnson, director of student financial aid, predicts that the appropriations bill will most likely be the last bill discussed, being decided in mid-May.

“Iowa State requested this 2.6 percent increase to strengthen our undergraduate/graduate professional programs, etc. The governor, in his budget, is recommending this increase. It’s very encouraging, but, of course, we still have to go to legislature. So, you never know.”

In addition to the appropriation increase bill, the legislature will also be discussing a student financial aid proposal.

According to Johnson, in order to create a new statewide need-based program for resident financial aid across all three regent institutions, the regents determined that $39.5 million was needed. The downside, however, is the governor’s proposal of only $5 million.

“We currently have a very tiny state grant program that is available to the students in the state of Iowa,” Johnson said. “If we get this money, it could possibly be able to reduce our tuition for the following [2014-15] school year because we wouldn’t have to use institutional dollars to help funding programs because we would have state funding.”

Both of these proposals won’t be decided until around May 10 after the legislature and governor discuss budget into more detail.

For legislative updates on all bills on the calendar, go to www.legis.iowa.gov.