Despite pleas from student leaders, the state Board of Regents approved Thursday a 9.9 percent tuition increase at Iowa State.

Sixty-five students stood in the back of the room as the university presidents and members of the student governments from Iowa’s three regent universities — Iowa State, University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa — gave presentations before the regents’ vote. They voted 8-1 to accept the increase, which was supported by the three university presidents.

Andy Stoll, president of the University of Iowa Student Government, said UISG supported the 9.9 percent increase, but students need to know the purpose of the increase.

“Students have said overall they really want to know how their money is spent,” he said.

Dan Sterenchuk, president of the UNI student government, emphasized the importance of the regents’ decision. The UNI student government, along with the ISU Government of the Student Body, supported a 7.2 percent-increase proposal.

“The decision you make will affect all students around Iowa,” Sterenchuk said.

GSB President Ben Golding began his presentation by reading from one of more than 750 letters GSB received from students. The letter was from a student whose family has three children in college and had to leave school once because of money problems.

“‘A large tuition increase may cause me to give up on my dream of graduating. No one in my family has graduated from college, and I was hoping to be the first,'” Golding read.

Golding emphasized the importance of keeping college affordable and said the quality increase was already covered by the split between tuition and fees and the increased computer fees.

“We are not asking to eliminate quality. We are not asking to reduce our quality. We are not even asking you not to improve our quality,” he said. “Just don’t do it three times over in one year.”

He said several groups of students would struggle with the tuition increase, especially nontraditional students and those in families with financial difficulties.

“Do not forget the students and families from across Iowa that cannot handle such a significant burden,” Golding said. This remark received applause from students in the audience.

While he heard the students’ pleas, Regent David Neil said he was going to support the increase.

“If we’re going to maintain quality, we’re going to have to charge for it,” he said.

Regent David Fisher said the average income is rising in Iowa and students can take out loans if necessary.

“Debt is not always pleasant, but it’s a good investment in your education,” he said.

Lisa Ahrens was the only member of the board to oppose the proposal. She instead asked for a compromise, and agreed with Golding that the fee split and quality increase together were redundant.

Golding said GSB and the University of Northern Iowa did a good job with their presentations, and he was proud of the students who came to the meeting.

“I’m pretty sure the Board of Regents was acting out of fear of getting another hit from the Legislature this year,” he said.

Andy Tofilon, co-director of intergovernmental affairs for GSB, said he was disappointed in the regents’ decision.

“I think they discounted the student concerns,” he said. “The regents are supposed to represent the people of Iowa.”

Although he felt bad for the students who had trouble affording college, ISU Interim President Richard Seagrave said he didn’t see any other possible solutions.

“I don’t see that we have a lot of alternatives,” he said. “We can’t afford to go backwards.”