In a front page Metro section article in the Sunday Des Moines Register, officials from Iowa’s Regent universities said tuition in Iowa is a bargain, even with a proposed tuition increase nearing 10 percent. Students at the regent universities have heard this excuse often in the past year when the subject of tuition increases came up. But it is just that – an excuse. According to this article, the regents said they would need to increase tuition by 5.2 percent just to maintain quality at Iowa universities; the additional 2 percent is to ensure improvement. The average tuition increase nationwide is 5 percent or less. Most universities across the nation seem to be able to maintain quality AND ensure improvement with a smaller increase than our regents are asking just to maintain quality. The cost of living, as well as the standard of living, is lower in Iowa than in some of these other states. Salaries are lower here. For example, the average annual salary in Iowa in 1997 was $24,811, while the average in Michigan was $32,761. Prices are lower in Iowa, so our tuition should be cheaper also.This shouldn’t be a race to see which state can have the most expensive tuition rates. It doesn’t matter what other states do with their tuition rates, what matters is keeping Iowa tuition rates affordable for Iowa students. Citing higher tuition in other states is a weak excuse for a 10 percent increase. If other states jumped off a bridge, would Iowa jump, too? Let’s keep Iowa a place where higher education is valued and available to everyone. Students of Iowa, this is the time to contact your regent, your student government and raise some hell on campus. Let them know that education is important to you and that these excuses are unacceptable. Editorial board: Carrie Tett, Greg Jerrett, Katie Goldsmith, Amie Van Overmeer and Andrea Hauser