A proposed $42 million cut to the budgets of Iowa’s three regent universities has student leaders in “war mode.”

Last week, Gov. Tom Vilsack proposed a $300 million cut to the state’s 2002 budget in response to a weakening economy and flat tax revenues. Under his proposal, Iowa State’s budget would be sliced by $18 million, the University of Iowa would lose $19 million and the University of Northern Iowa would lose $5.4 million.

Student leaders from the three universities are joining forces to fight the proposed 6 percent across-the-board budget cut at the legislative level. Cuts in state funding would translate into yet another sharp tuition increase for Iowa’s regent-university students, said Andy Tofilon, director of intergovernmental affairs for the Government of the Student Body.

“We need to make sure we get that funding because it is the students who are ultimately going to pay for this,” said Tofilon, GSB president-elect. “I think it’s pretty clear that we’re going to be in the war mode for the next couple of weeks.”

Tofilon said student leaders are planning trips to the state capitol to speak with the governor’s staff and legislators of both parties.

Vilsack’s plan exempts a few areas from the wide-ranging cut, such as aid to local school districts, money for a new teacher-pay plan and $8 million for programs to prevent abuse.

Chris Linn, vice president of the University of Iowa Student Government, said the multi-million dollar cut to higher education sends a mixed message to students about the state’s priorities.

“I’m disappointed that the state keeps education for K-12 schools intact but decides to take money away from the regent schools,” he said. “It definitely sends a message to me that the state doesn’t value higher education. It’s important to value education on all levels.”

In light of last year’s legislative cuts to the ISU, UNI and U of I budgets, Vilsack’s proposal may be a another sign of what student leaders see as a dangerous trend.

“Last year they said it was going to be a one-time cut, and that one-time cut led to a tuition increase of almost 10 percent,” said Dan Sterenchuk, president of the UNI student government. “This year’s cuts may raise tuition 15 percent or even higher.”

Tofilon said probable tuition increases in the wake of the pending state cuts would decrease the accessibility of higher education to current and prospective regent-university students.

“It’s the students who have astronomical student loans and have to work three jobs that will really be hurt by this,” he said. “The people whose parents help out will be affected, too, but the people who really have to work hard to stay at Iowa State already are really going to feel this the most.”

In addition to higher tuition, Linn said proposed cuts may also hurt the quality of education at the three universities.

“Because of the magnitude of the cut, I don’t think it’s a cut that they can make up entirely with tuition,” he said. “I think they will have to cut some programs. They have said everything is up for grabs in terms of paying for this cut.”

To be effective, students will have to band together to convince legislators of the potential harm to higher education, Tofilon said.

“I can’t sell it,” he said. “The people who are directly impacted by this cut are the only people who are going to put a human face on this. They can really tell [legislators] how it will affect their lives. Legislators are going to have to look that person in the eye and say, `You’re not important,’ and I don’t think any legislator will be able to do that.”

Linn said he also encourages students to write or call their hometown legislators to let the state know students are serious about funding for higher education.

Tofilon said working at the capitol is the first step in keeping tuition affordable.

“This is one of the parts of the tuition increase, and the other part depends on this one,” he said. “We will be putting out maximum effort, and we are ready to go to war for the students.”