Discussion surrounding tuition increases at the three regent universities — Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa — and the effect Gov. Tom Vilsack’s recent cut will have on the universities will be the premier item of Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting in Iowa City.

The Board Office recommended a 7.9 percent tuition and fees increase, or $360 more per year, for Iowa State resident undergraduates, and a 5.3 percent increase, or $720 more per year, for non-resident undergraduates.

The university’s general fund is financed primarily by tuition revenue and state support. As state funding has decreased from 63.7 percent of the budget in 2000—01 to 50.1 percent this academic year, tuition revenue has gone up from 30.6 percent of the budget in 2000—01 to 43.2 percent this academic year, according to board documents.

Over the past three years, the Board of Regents has approved 51.6 percent in increases for resident undergraduates.

The regents will also be forced to discuss a process, initial ideas and a timeline for handling last Friday’s $15.5 million reduction in Iowa’s higher education funding by Vilsack, said Barbara Boose, communications specialist for the Iowa Board of Regents. The cuts to the budget, totaling $5.8 million for Iowa State, must be made before June 30, 2004. “The news about the cut was not positive for our students,” Boose said.

At the board’s November meeting, the institution heads will share what the cuts will mean to each university and ways the cuts may be approached with the regents, Boose said. She said the effect of Vilsack’s cut on the recommended tuition increase cannot be gauged until the regents have a chance to react.

“The Board Office is not recommending any changes [to the proposed tuition increase], but, of course, it’s the regent’s decision,” she said.

The regent university presidents and student body presidents will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed tuition increase during Thursday’s meeting. GSB President Mike Banasiak said he will address the recommended tuition increase and Vilsack’s cut.

“I believe the proposed increase should not be raised anymore with the recent news of more budget cuts,” Banasiak said. “We also need to continue working with the regents to lobby the state legislature on the importance of higher education and the wrongdoing of taking more money from the three universities.”