Legislative funding and university strategic plans were addressed Monday by the Iowa Board of Regents in Council Bluffs on day one of its June meeting.

In their first chance to respond to the Iowa legislature about higher education funding, the Regents decided to write a “thank you” letter to senate leadership for the $29 million funding increase.

Although appropriations fell short of the Board’s $40 million request, they represented the first funding increase in five years. Since 2001, $102 million has been cut from Regent funding, according to a Board memo.

Gary Steinke, chief public affairs officer for the Board, said it is possible the $29 million figure could increase.

“We’re still at the table for perhaps some more money,” said Michael Gartner, president of the Board.

The Regents plan to address a 3 percent mid-year tuition increase Tuesday to help make up for the $11 million shortfall. University five-year strategic plans were also discussed.

Provost Ben Allen said Iowa State’s strategic plan has not been changed since then.

Discussion at the meeting focused on which indicators could be used to determine the universities’ progress toward achieving the goals outlined in their strategic plans.

Allen said measuring the effectiveness of Iowa State’s extension program would be a valid performance indicator, although Gartner said this indicator could be problematic because it has no parallel at other Regent institutions.

In other business, the Board’s Education and Student Affairs Committee recommended the full board accept changes to the personnel conduct rules, which would clarify that they apply to student’s off-campus actions, such as rioting.

The proposed changes have been publicly available for several months.

Although input was received by the Regents in writing and at a public meeting last May, no changes were made based on the feedback, said Susan Anderson, associate counsel for the Board of Regents.

She said specific concerns raised could be better addressed at the university level, or were already addressed in the proposal.

Gartner said he was concerned the proposal could put offenders in “double jeopardy,” as they would be subject to both university sanctions and judicial penalties.

Iowa City Regent Bob Downer said university penalties for student conduct are “totally separate and apart” from judicial sanctions.