The future cost of each of Iowa’s state universities could significantly change, should the Board of Regents adopt a new differential tuition policy.

The Iowa Board of Regents will meet Wednesday and Thursday at Maucker Union at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls to discuss differential tuition and funding for fiscal year 2007.

The Tuition Task Force, a six-member committee led by ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, will recommend the undergraduate differential tuition policy to the Regents on Thursday. If approved, each Regent university president would have the power to propose changes to institution-wide or specific-program tuition rates. Any action taken by each university must meet approval by the Board of Regents.

The Tuition Task Force was unanimous in the differential tuition recommendation, Geoffroy said.

“It can be different between the university, by class standing, by major, anything,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they will accept any recommendation any president will make.”

Gregory Nichols, special assistant to Geoffroy and task force member, said the proposal would not mandate tuition increases, but would give university presidents the power to propose changes.

“If the Regents choose to adopt it, the presidents would have more flexibility on undergraduate rates to recommend slightly different rates for specific groups of students,” he said. “It is a decision the president should be allowed to make.”

As students continue to enter advanced coursework in their degree programs, the cost of classes increase, Nichols said.

“The classes that an upper-division undergraduate takes tend to be smaller than those a younger student takes; therefore, the cost is higher in general,” he said. “The cost of obtaining qualified faculty or equipment is higher.”

Bob Downer, Regent from Iowa City, said each Regent university’s cost structure is unique.

“The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are both major research institutions – the University of Northern Iowa is not,” he said. “The faculty is compensated differently for that.”

Iowa and Iowa State faculty earn more than at Northern Iowa because their increased role in academic research projects, which translates into higher tuition costs Downer said.

“There are distinctions between each institution that need to be taken into account in establishing tuition,” Downer said.

In addition to differential tuition, budget proposals for the 2007 fiscal year will be discussed Thursday, with a request for an additional $40 million in state appropriations and $20 million in institutional reallocations. The proposal is part of the second year of the Regent Partnership Plan for Transformation and Excellence, which was created to increase faculty salaries while minimizing tuition increases caused by insufficient state funding.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, said the Regents would not take any final action regarding tuition figures for the fall 2006 semester.

“They will be talking about their budget and legislative submission – they will not take any action on tuition and fees, but there will be some discussion,” he said.

The Regents will also consider proposals on a $1.9 million state appropriation made to Iowa State through the Grow Iowa Values Fund.

The ISU Research Park, the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, the Institute for Physical Research and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research would receive $600,000 to be used for commercialization infrastructure projects. The remaining $1.325 million would be allocated for the commercialization of other university research projects.

Benjamin Allen, vice president for academic affairs, said he will recommend the Regents discontinue the Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics program, because of a lack of enrollment this semester and minimal enrollment the previous semester.

The academic calendar for 2007 to 2011 will also be decided at the meeting, with minimal changes from the current format.