Two bills to mandate that ISU Extension Services provide all 4-H programs free of charge are currently in the Iowa legislature.

Senate File 2027 and House File 2328 both call for the elimination of the fee, but would allow Iowa State to seek voluntary contributions from individuals to cover the costs of providing extension services to the 4-H organization and its clubs.

“We are very opposed to this bill,” said President Gregory Geoffroy. “It makes no sense when our budgets are being cut left and right.”

Geoffroy said a fee is necessary to continue quality 4-H programs around the state.

“Without the fee and with the budget cuts, the 4-H program throughout the state will be greatly scaled down,” he said.

A $10 state fee was implemented last year to help deal with budget cuts to the program. An additional $10 district fee is also charged in 83 of the 100 state districts, said Mark Settle, director of external relations for ISU extension. The fees help pay for programs, food, lodging, scholarships and field specialists.

“We exhaustively consulted each of the counties in the state and each agreed to the imposing of the fee,” said Provost Rollin Richmond. “There are scholarships available for those who cannot afford the fee and no one is being excluded from these programs at this point, but they might without the fee.”

The fees are necessary for the program to continue as it is, said Warren Madden, vice president of Business and Finance.

“They are not going to deny any youngster the chance to participate in the program,” Madden said. “You either have to reduce services or charge a fee.”

The elimination of the fee would cut into participation in state camps and conferences and national conferences in Washington, D.C., for about 3,500 Iowa youth because of lack of funding, Settle said.

“Enrollment in 4-H around the state would be reduced by as much as 10 percent,” Settle said. “Fewer programs and opportunities, as well as a reduction in support staff would result in the cut of these fees. Making the fees voluntary would be like making tuition voluntary – how many people would really pay?”

The Board of Regents unanimously opposed the legislation at their meeting Wednesday.

“We oppose this bill as an intrusion on the management of this project that could result in service reduction,” Nichols said. “It’s ironic with all the discussion of budget cuts that they would propose this.”