The leaders of Iowa’s Regents institutions released a statement Monday saying they realize everyone must pitch in during the state’s budget crisis, but they have suffered enough from budget cuts.

During the current fiscal year, the state has reduced its support to the Regents institutions by $82 million – the equivalent of the annual appropriation for the University of Northern Iowa, according to the release.

The release was signed by Owen Newlin, president of the Board of Regents; Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Iowa; Gregory Geoffroy, president of Iowa State; and Robert Koob, president of the University of Northern Iowa.

The university presidents and legislators were unavailable for comment.

“The governor called the house into special session because he didn’t believe the budget the Republicans passed a few weeks ago represented Iowans’ priorities,” said Joe Shannahan, spokesman for Gov. Tom Vilsack.

“The governor agrees with the Regents institutions’ leaders that higher education is a top priority of Iowans. The budget has been unfair the past two years with higher education taking the brunt of budget cuts and he wanted to do something about that, but they left town without a compromise.”

According to the release, the Regents institutions have handled this year’s cuts by eliminating more than 700 employee positions; reducing course offerings and increasing class sizes; closing and consolidating academic programs; reducing student employment and financial aid; and making cuts in spending for supplies, equipment, building repairs, and travel.

“It’s pretty clear that students are going to be guaranteed two things the next few years,” said Max Wortman, president-elect of the Faculty Senate.

He said class sizes will continue to increase and tuition will continue to rise.

“If we are to become a true state land-grant university, it should not be this way,” he said.

Wortman said ISU faculty are not paid as well as the peer 11 institutions and faculty retention continues to decrease. Student retention is getting better, and 27 percent of students are graduating in four years, whereas five years ago only 20 percent graduated in four years, Wortman said.

The Regents institutions are educating a record-high student enrollment of more than 70,000 students and serving more than 500,000 Iowa residents, according to the release. During the last 20 years, the students’ share of higher education costs has nearly doubled, while the state’s share has decreased by 25 percent.

“The state representatives have always striven to have students pay 30 percent or less of their tuition,” Wortman said. “They now are paying 38 percent of the costs and that is increasing each year.”

Both in-state and out-of-state students are having trouble affording an education in Iowa, he said.

“We are a long way from being in good shape and if something isn’t done about this soon, it will get a lot worse,” he said.