DES MOINES – Gov. Terry Branstad said several times during Monday’s weekly press conference he has a goal of providing “stability and predictability” in terms of education funding. But under House File 45, or the Taxpayers First Act, which Branstad praised, Iowa State would face millions in unplanned cuts this year.

When asked during the press conference if cuts to the Regent universities in the current fiscal year were appropriate, Branstad defended the cuts, despite his goal to move away from sudden cuts like the ones Gov. Chet Culver enacted in FY 2010.

“These are tough decisions we had to make and we only had a limited amount of resources,” Branstad said, adding the reporter was right, “higher education didn’t get as much as K-12, they’re seeing a modest reduction. They also get revenue from other sources as well.”

The other sources Branstad referenced include tuition, which is limited to the amount set by the Higher Education Price Index in HF45, and grants and sponsorships resulting from work done during sabbaticals, which are also cut in HF45.

Iowa’s public universities would get $75 million less than requested for fiscal year 2012 under the governor’s proposed budget.

Under HF45, the universities would be cut $15 million for two years, in addition to slashing money for libraries and sabbaticals.

The bill passed the Iowa House along a party-line split, with only Republicans voting in favor of it, and is currently being debated in the Senate.

“I want to do all I can to ensure Iowans we want to work with everybody,” Branstad said only minutes before being asked about Regents cuts in HF45. “That we want to provide stability and predictability in funding, we want something that’s sustainable for the long term. We want to get away from this overpromising and underdelivering with these huge across-the-board cuts, and the state not funding its commitments.”

Board of Regents president David Miles said at the most recent Regents meeting in Iowa City that the state’s public universities are at a point where the only remaining cuts are in the classroom.

“Public higher education in Iowa can only do more with less for so long before quality, access and affordability are all compromised — perhaps beyond repair,” Miles said.

The cuts could reduce the number of teaching assistant slots available, and lead to fewer class offerings. With fewer available courses, the number of semesters required  to graduate might increase. The cuts might also result in less funding for graduate programs.