CEDAR FALLS – Variable tuition rates among different academic programs and groups of students can now be proposed by regent university presidents.

The Board of Regents unanimously approved a proposed tuition policy for the 2006-2007 academic year made by the Tuition Task Force, led by ISU president Gregory Geoffroy. The policy allows each Regent president to propose changes to his university’s base tuition rate for students in specific majors, programs or class rank.

Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa already have the discretion to differentiate tuition for graduate students and professional programs, but had been limited in doing the same for undergraduate students until Thursday’s meeting.

Geoffroy said differential tuition at Iowa State would likely apply only to upper-division students.

“It would only apply to juniors and seniors,” he said. “You want to give the maximum flexibility in the first couple of years for students to explore their potential and where their passion is.”

Regents president Michael Gartner said cost differences already exist among programs at the state universities.

“You already supposedly do [have differential tuition] in a back door way through various fees from department to department,” he said.

Mary Ellen Becker, regent from Oskaloosa, said any differential tuition proposals would face careful consideration. The newly adopted tuition policy would require differential tuition proposals by the university presidents to be approved by the Board as a whole.

“We need to make sure we don’t have unintended consequences with whatever we decide,” she said. “This is a very complicated and sensitive issue.”

There are concerns that differentiating tuition rates among groups of students could deter incoming students from enrolling in higher cost and high-demand programs because of the additional costs.

Geoffroy contends that differential tuition could improve the quality of academic programs rather than deterring students from choosing more expensive majors.

“If the funds were used to create new faculty positions, which would then lower the student-to-faculty ratio, you could argue that would enhance it by making the program more competitive,” he said. “We certainly don’t want differential tuition to discourage students from attending Iowa State.”

Gartner said he met with student Regent Jenny Rokes and student representatives from all three Regent institutions, who voiced concerns regarding the new policy.

“This isn’t approving differential tuition, as much as it is just restating the board policy so that the individual institutions have the opportunity to present to the board,” said Angela Groh, Government of the Student Body president.

Tom Bedell, Regent from Spirit Lake, said he supports the new policy and believes the Tuition Task Force should be open to unconventional tuition proposals. Some ideas he proposed include rebates for students with high grade point averages, students who graduate in four years or students who have an older sibling enrolled at a Regent institution.

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