Iowa State students opposed to the state Board of Regents’ proposed tuition increase will need to express their concerns before the regents’ Oct. 20 and 21 meetings.

The board met Wednesday and Thursday and discussed raising tuition for the 2000-2001 academic year. No vote was held.

If the proposed 4.3 percent increase is passed, it will raise tuition about $120 per student at ISU.

ISU President Martin Jischke said 2.3 percent of the proposed increase would go to increasing student financial aid and providing for additional university costs. The other 2 percent increase would be applied to improving the university, Jischke said.

“We want to create a ubiquitous campus environment, enhancing computer technology with more ready access and common software,” he said.

Government of the Student Body President Matt Craft said he is not certain that all of the proposed improvements are necessary.

Craft said there is not as much interest in expanding the electronic library.

“The position we take is to vote for the students,” he said.

Craft and other GSB senators presented a slide show to the board during the meeting about student concerns with the proposed increase.

The slides included statistics about the amount of debt students currently graduate with, the current agriculture crisis and the number of students attending ISU who have a farming or forestry background.

“I was really happy with how the presentation went,” Craft said. “A lot of the regents were very impressed with the professional aspects and points made.”

Board of Regents member David Neil said he shares some concerns about the proposed increase.

“A lot of students come out [of college] carrying a big load without getting their first paycheck,” he said.