Iowa State’s seven colleges may receive university funding based on enrollment and recruitment success under a new budget model that is under consideration.

A report released Jan. 31 by the ISU Budget Model Development Committee explores the possibility of distributing 25 percent of a student’s tuition to the college in which the student is enrolled. The other 75 percent would be allocated proportionally based on credit hours to the colleges in which the student’s classes are categorized.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said the university does not currently follow any formula for tuition distribution.

“Right now, there’s no formula at all,” Geoffroy said. “There’s no correlation at all between the number of students the colleges teach and what their budgets are. Tuition goes into the overall university budget and that’s divided up among the colleges.”

He said the new budget proposal would benefit students by encouraging the colleges to offer classes students want to take.

“If colleges know their budgets are dependent upon their enrollment, it’ll provide an incentive to offer curriculum courses the students need and want,” Geoffroy said.

“The colleges will have to make their curriculums attractive to students.”

A pair of ISU students said they thought the plan would most benefit the more visible colleges at Iowa State, such as the College of Engineering or the College of Agriculture.

“It sounds like it would be pretty flawless,” said Andrew Gionnette, sophomore in mechanical engineering. “I think my college would definitely benefit, but it would depend on what you’re studying.”

Stephen Gerbracht, sophomore in liberal arts and sciences-open option, said the plan may make funding smaller colleges more difficult.

“It seems like it would be hard to improve a small college if the new resources go to the [colleges] attracting the most students,” Gerbracht said.

Geoffroy said colleges with smaller enrollment wouldn’t suffer because they have the luxury of offering less-crowded classes.

“If courses get too crowded, they won’t attract students,” he said. “This could provide good incentive to offer courses that are attractive to students.”

He said discussion is in its early stages and there is still a lot to be hammered out with the model, adding that a decision may not be reached until the summer.

“We really can’t make a decision until the details are all worked out and we know just how the process will work,” he said.

“I’ve asked the committee to have that done by June 30, but that’s a lot to do.”

He said universities throughout the Midwest have implemented similar budget plans and have reported success in matching the budgeting process with university priorities.

A member of the Iowa Board of Regents said the board, which must approve Iowa State’s budget, usually encourages experimentation to improve cost-effectiveness.

“In general, with regard to programs where one of the institutions is attempting to meet its particular needs, unless we felt strongly to the contrary, we would at least give them the opportunity to try,” said Iowa City Regent Robert Downer.

Downer said he thinks the new budgeting process could have potential.

“I’m delighted to see people at Iowa State coming up with some innovative programs that will hopefully attract more students to Iowa State,” he said.