The Board of Regents is proposing to raise Iowa State’s tuition by nearly 20 percent next year. In the face of rapidly rising costs, community college administrators see their schools as the solution.

Many students agree a sour economy and skyrocketing tuition among state schools are driving them to Iowa’s community colleges.

Community college administrators see their schools as the answer to tuition hikes while others believe state-university tuition hikes are forcing students to marginalize the first half of their university education at a two-year school.

Karen Pierson, vice president for student services at North Iowa Community College, said she believes the increase in enrollment is due to the broadening role of two-year schools, not only the less-expensive tuition.

Enrollments traditionally rise during an economic slowdown as more people return to school to improve their job skills, she said. “Also, many students want to spend their first two years near home and then go to a larger school.”

Other people are less optimistic about the rise in community college enrollment.

“To a large extent, the increase [in community college enrollment] reflects tuition,” said Sen. Johnie Hammond, D-Ames. “Students make the choice to spend two years at a community college based on cost, not the quality of the institution.”

Patricia Stringer, junior in performing arts, transferred to Iowa State after two years at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). She said she believes ISU students look down on her old college.

“People think the education isn’t as good at DMACC as it is at Iowa State,” Stringer said. “But if that were true, ISU wouldn’t transfer our credit. I think they’re equal.”

Rachael McVey, sophomore in pre-business, left Iowa State after her freshman year to attend DMACC.

Even if the cost of the two schools were the same, DMACC would be a “better choice,” McVey said. “I like the smaller atmosphere. It’s impossible for ISU professors to know their students unless the students seek them out.”

Pierson agrees. There are obvious distinctions between community colleges and state schools, but quality of learning isn’t one of them, she said. “Two-year schools are a different social experience, not a different educational experience.”

Hammond sees things differently.

“Some students go to two-year schools because they’re shy or more marginal in their grades. But if their desire and ability is to spend four years at a university, I’m unhappy they’re being priced out of that option,” Hammond said.

Not all classes are transferable from a community college to a state university, and the level of challenge is different, Hammond said. “Depending on their program, a student transferring from a community college to Iowa State could come into college with some handicaps.”

While there are many opinions on the quality of two-year schools, there are few opinions on their cost effectiveness.

One semester at Iowa State University for a full-time, in-state undergraduate student costs $1,846, while a 12-hour semester at DMACC costs $964.80. However, the gap between university and community college tuition isn’t as drastic as most people think.

“When you look at Iowa State’s tuition costs compared to other state schools, Iowa State is among the lowest in the country,” said Gary Steinke, assistant to the director of governmental relations. “Going out of state for a cheaper education is impossible.”

In addition, while Iowa’s universities are on the lower end of the average national tuition, Iowa’s community colleges are on the upper end. Community college tuition in Iowa last year was nearly 60 percent higher than the national average, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Yet community college enrollment is up 11 percent this fall.

The role of community colleges in easing the tuition burden is not the important issue, Steinke said. The real issue is the effect cutting state schools’ funding will have on Iowa, he said.

“There’s a direct correlation between number of college graduates, number of students enrolled in a state’s college and the state’s economic prosperity,” Steinke said.

He said Iowa’s economy depends on university funding decisions.

“Iowa has traditionally done a great job in supporting all sections of education, but they’ve failed to maintain quality at the state schools. Unless changes are made this will have a huge impact on Iowa’s economy,” he said.

Steinke stressed the two-year school’s lower tuition or smaller class sizes won’t solve the state’s problems.

“Class size, faculty salary or new buildings won’t improve an education,” he said. “We must aim to improve what they’ll learn, not simply cap the number of students in each class.”