Updated at 1:07 a.m. CST Dec. 17

Hoping to end a four-year trend of record-breaking tuition increases and annual reductions in state funding for higher education, the Iowa Board of Regents made a final strategic move Thursday to stabilize tuition for the next four years.

With little discussion, the regents unanimously approved a tuition proposal for the next academic year that would be the smallest increase in state tuition since 1999.

The proposal calls for an across-the-board tuition increase of 4 percent for all undergraduate students at the state’s three regent universities. Under the proposal, in-state undergraduate students at Iowa State would pay $5,634, or an additional $208. Out-of-state undergraduates would pay $15,724, an increase of $596, with in-state graduate students paying $238 more — $6,410 — and out-of-state graduate students paying an additional $624 — $16,422.

The rates however, are contingent upon state funding. The proposal, which is the first part of a new tuition policy adopted by the regents, calls for the Iowa Legislature to commit annual increases of $40 million to university budgets.

But if lawmakers don’t agree to the funding commitment and dollar amount set by the regents, the board could meet again this spring to set higher rates to compensate.

“Now it depends on what the Legislature does. If they don’t fund it, the Board of Regents might come back and decide on a supplemental tuition proposal,” ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said. “Now everyone, including students, need to work together to get that legislative support.”

University officials, the Board of Regents and student government officials at the three universities have been meeting with state officials during the past two months, urging them to make higher education in Iowa a bigger priority. A dinner was held at the Knoll on Wednesday after the Board of Regents committee meetings, where regents, board staff and university officials were able to talk with government officials about state funding for education.

GSB leaders at Iowa State have been meeting with government leaders, as well, making trips during the past two months to the Statehouse to visit with House and Senate leaders. GSB’s ISU Ambassador program has also been conducting an outreach campaign, encouraging Iowans to contact their state representatives and push them in support of partnership.

“Yes, the decision lies in the Legislature’s hands, but in reality, the decision lies in all our hands. We all still need to be involved in this,” Magill said. “This is a partnership, so everyone needs to understand the need and value this will bring to students and to higher education in our state.”

Magill said ISU Ambassadors will be making weekly trips to Des Moines once the Legislature begins its next session in January.

“They’ll take a student organization with them each trip. This will be an opportunity for students to talk about their experiences at Iowa State with the legislators and put a face to this proposal and the need for affordable, predictable tuition,” she said. “This will be something to feed them with the positive things we are doing at Iowa State.”

Regents said legislators are in general supportive of the proposal, but remain guarded in making a commitment just yet.

“To hold tuition and fees, I think is exceptional. I’ve talked with the governor and with legislative leaders from both parties and there is enthusiasm about the partnership, not a commitment to ultimate dollar amounts at this point in time because it’s too early to do that,” said board president and Des Moines Regent John Forsyth. “But the idea that we’re going to have a partnership … has been well received.”

Earlier this year, in an effort to provide stable, predictable tuition, the regents implemented a policy that calls for a partnership with legislators to provide a $160 million increase in state appropriations for the universities through fiscal year 2009 to make up for years of budget cuts. If the state provides the money asked for by the regents, tuition would no longer increase to adjust for decreased state funding, but would be tied to solely to inflation based off of the Higher Education Price Index. In turn for legislative support, the regent institutions pledge to match funds by internally reallocating $1 for every $2 spent by the state — or $20 million annually — on strategic, university initiatives.

“I just wanted to say thank you on the behalf of many students. We’re really, really excited about this to have it more predictable, and this is what students really wanted,” said student Regent Jenny Rokes, junior at the University of Northern Iowa, during the meeting in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. “For students, this is the best news we’ve heard in four or five years.”

Despite the good news, few students attend the meeting, aside from student government leaders. However, some of the regents said they view the silence by the students as an indication of support.

“This is the first time in the last four years we give final approval to tuition and we have not had a room full of students. That’s good,” said La Porte City Regent David Neil.

Government of the Student Body President Sophia Magill said the increase was acceptable.

“I think students would be here if it was, say, an 8 percent increase or higher, but the 4 percent we are willing to live with and work with,” she said.