IOWA CITY – It’s going to happen again.

The presidents of each Regents institution endorsed the Board of Regents’ proposed tuition and fee increase for the next academic year. Student government representatives are hoping for alternatives.

During its meeting on Thursday at the University of Iowa Student Union, the board was given a sneak peek at the future.

Matt Blizek, U of I student body vice president, posed as a student 20 years in the future.

“We’re no longer students at the University of Iowa; we go to the Iowa chapter of Starbucks University,” Blizek told the nine regents. “Building names are sold to the highest bidder, rather than being named after distinguished alumni.”

Blizek said he and U of I Student Body President Nick Herbold wanted the attention of the board. Regent Mary Ellen Becker of Ottumwa said student leaders had the right idea.

“It is not just one year’s tuition you look at,” she said. “With this trend, [tuition] will keep increasing. It was a good way of making the point.”

That portion of their presentation was meant to be a joke, Herbold said, but “these are real possibilities with the current trend.”

Regent Sue Erickson Nieland of Sioux City was cautious about the presentation.

“I’m amazed at how the whole thing has become a sort of performance,” she said. “It shouldn’t be us versus them. We all know what the numbers are and we really are in this together.”

T.J. Schneider, president of the ISU Government of the Student Body, said he thought the collaboration of the three student governments is good, and the presentation accomplished its goal.

“We want the citizens of Iowa to understand what’s happening,” he said. “We want to portray the information on a visible stage.”

Several regents said students and parents need to tell legislators their concerns.

The board was also thinking ahead. Executive Director of the Board Greg Nichols said an additional $11.5 million would be requested for next year. It is anticipated $38.6 million will be requested for fiscal year 2005. That money will be used to improve and maintain quality.

Specifically, all three university presidents said restoring faculty positions is the No. 1 priority.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy reminded the regents how, in the last two years, Iowa State has lost more than 400 faculty and staff positions, including 80 tenure-track faculty members.

“We have increasing demands for our faculty,” he said. “We have to find a way to rebuild the ranks of the faculty.”

Geoffroy said in 1995 there were 15.9 students per faculty member, and now there are 19.5 students.

“It’s truly unfortunate that the budget cuts of the last years are forcing an . increase of this magnitude,” he said.

Geoffroy said budget reductions are “seriously eroding the quality of Iowa State University. To maintain the quality of Iowa State and our programs, these tuition increases are necessary. Even with them we’re going to have to make further budget cuts.”

The board will meet Oct. 15 and 16 in Cedar Falls for more discussion on tuition and fees and will vote Nov. 13 or 14 in Ames, giving students at each university the opportunity to present concerns.

Regent Amir Arbisser, of Davenport, reminded the board of the contribution of nonresident students. He said the state Legislature has cut the equivalent of $2,780 per resident student at each of the universities, but nonresident students don’t cost the state anything and are paying more than it costs to educate them.