In less than a week, the Iowa Board of Regents will approve a tuition increase for the 2004—05 school year. The regents have seemed supportive of the proposed increase of 7.9 percent for ISU undergraduate resident students since its release in October.

“We haven’t had any indication that the regents will not approve [the proposed increase], but it’s always up to the regents,” said Barbara Boose, communication specialist for the Board of Regents. “I can’t predict what people will do.”

The proposed increase would raise tuition and fees $398 per year for resident undergraduates and $758 per year for nonresident undergraduates.

During Wednesday’s Board of Regents meeting at the University of Northern Iowa, student body presidents and the university presidents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the tuition increase.

Government of the Student Body President Mike Banasiak said he will be unable to attend the meeting, but Student Government Relations Director Angela Groh will be speaking on his behalf. The message will ask that the proposed increase not be raised and stress the importance of working with the State Legislature to emphasize the importance of higher education.

The Board of Regents has approved 51.6 percent in increases for resident undergraduates to counter $63.7 million in state appropriation cuts since 2001.

Groh is also expected to speak about the “Tuition Stability Act” proposed by Iowa House of Representatives Speaker Christopher Rants. The act would guarantee a freshman the same rate of tuition for the four years of higher education.

“The act would hurt students more,” Banasiak said.

During last month’s meeting, the presidents from the three regent universities — Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa — supported the proposed increase, but warned of the lack of flexibility in the budget if the full funding of salaries — the top priority for the 2004—05 school year — are not provided by the state legislature next spring.

“The quality of our people and retaining staff is a critical part of the universities’ success,” Boose said. “When we can’t pay our people, we can’t retain our quality.”

The regents also will be presented with the universities’ plans for adjustment to their 2003—04 budgets following Gov. Tom Vilsack’s 2.5 percent across-the-board cut, tuition revenue losses and anticipated additional losses. Iowa State has been forced to cut $8.3 million from its budget before June 30, 2004.

The regents will have the opportunity to share their reactions and suggestions to the university presidents, Boose said.

The university will protect reductions from student financial aid, the Office of Admissions, and fuel and utilities. Academic Affairs will receive the lowest percentage cut to protect the quality of academic programs.