Reactions to possible tuition increases have been met with wary apprehension from ISU students after lowered funding targets were released.

Gov. Tom Vilsack and the Board of Regents have requested an additional $40 million in funding to the regent universities each year for the next four years to help combat tuition increases.

This funding would help offset the nearly $162 million regent universities have lost from the state since 2000. Tuition has increased almost 60 percent during that time.

Many students have a hard time understanding why there have been such stark increases.

“I think it’s kind of dumb how they increase everything,” said Charlie Richards, sophomore in pre-business. “I’m sure that if they took the time to do a little more legwork, as opposed to a lot of talking, they might figure out some places where they can move some money.”

Iowa regents have approved a 4 percent tuition hike for next year, but this number will likely be met with a supplemental increase if the Legislature does not come through.

“I think they should hand over a lot more,” Richards said. “I don’t know where the hell all of that money has gone — it can’t just disappear.”

Richards said if tuition keeps rising, students are going to go elsewhere for their education.

Fall enrollment at Iowa State has decreased 5.4 percent during the past two years and is now less than what it was in 2000.

“Any increase is going to affect me,” said Mark Vestweber, junior in mechanical engineering. “I don’t get a whole lot of financial aid, and because my major is somewhat difficult, I don’t have a lot of time for a part-time job.”

Vestweber is using loans to pay for college because his parents make too much for him to qualify for need-based financial aid and too little to cover tuition.

“My parents can’t really afford it,” Vestweber said. “I somehow fall into that little bracket where Uncle Sam won’t throw you a bone.”

Vestweber has received less support from the federal government since he has been at Iowa State.

“This semester, I got a letter from the financial aid department that told me I wouldn’t be receiving [Pell Grants] any more. There was a change in one of the financial aid policies, and some 70,000 students across the United States got shafted and I just happened to be one of them.”

A study done by the regents’ Education and Student Affairs Committee found that between academic years 2002-03 and 2003-04, 12.7 percent fewer ISU students applied for financial aid. The University of Iowa had a 4.9 percent increase and the University of Northern Iowa had a decrease of 2.9 percent.

The committee also found that a majority of students have surpassed their financial need through financial assistance. The board also found a disparity between need and loans in the lower brackets of parental income, which may result in unmet needs.

Joanna Winston, sophomore in family and consumer sciences education, said although her parents pay for her tuition, she still feels pressure to secure additional scholarships to offset increases.

“Even though my parents pay my tuition, I feel bad for them if they have to put out extra money,” she said. Winston said the scholarship money she receives has increased to cover higher tuition, but she still has a part-time job to help her parents.

Sarah Sinclair, senior in journalism and mass communication, said she has not thought a lot about tuition increases in the past few years, but after she graduates, “it’s going to hit pretty hard.”

“It can make a big difference for the decisions you make when you graduate,” Sinclair said. “Some people are getting married, buying houses or cars, and if you have that much student-loan debt, realistically you can’t afford to do those things.”

Sinclair said she is happy the interest rate on her loans is low after she consolidated them, but said that did not have a major impact on her education decisions.