Regents ditch 5.2 percent tuition hike
October 22, 1998
Students at the three regent universities can plan on forking out some extra cash next year for tuition; however, the increase will not be as high as originally proposed.
The Board of Regents voted 6-3 to raise tuition 4.5 percent for the 1999 academic year for Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. The original proposal was for an increase of 5.2 percent.
While it was agreed that a tuition hike is needed, the actual percentage increase was debated by the regents.
Presidents of the three universities, including ISU President Martin Jischke, echoed their support for a 5.2 percent increase.
“[Raising tuition] is the right thing to do,” Jischke said.
Jischke and U of I President Mary Sue Coleman shared views on the relationship between tuition and student enrollment.
Enrollment at U of I grew 7.7 percent last year, while ISU’s enrollment increased by less than 1 percent over the last two years.
This is one of several reasons Jischke gave for supporting the tuition increase.
He partially contributed the tuition boost to the growing demand for power and technology at universities.
“[Power and technology] have an enormous impact on education,” Jischke said.
He also said the university has granted scholarships, financial aid and endowments faster than the rate of inflation.
“Literally, hundreds and hundreds of students are able to come to ISU because of funding,” Jischke said.
Although the approved increase was lower than the proposed increase of 5.2 percent, some of the regents said the increase was still too high. An earlier vote for a 4.0 percent increase failed, but it did receive some votes.
“[4.0 percent] does not address the quality issue that we are committed to,” Regent James Arenson said.
Although regents did not agree on the 4.0 increase, they did concur that 5.2 percent was too much of an increase at too fast of a rate.
“5.2 [percent] should hit gradually; it’s going to be hard for many people to swallow that big of a jump,” Regent David Fisher said.
He, along with other regents, said an increase in tuition should be made gradually so that students have time to plan.
While the increase is lower than originally intended, it is still not low enough for Government of the Student Body President Bryan Burkhardt, junior in computer engineering. He said he was not opposed to a tuition hike, but he was opposed to one as high as 5.2 percent.
“[Raising tuition] not only affects the student of today, but also of tomorrow,” Burkhardt said.
He is not the only student who left feeling disappointed. Student Regent Lisa Ahrens, sophomore in agronomy at ISU, was among those regents favoring the 4.0 percent increase.
“We have come a long way to say that ‘yes, we do realize a tuition increase is needed, but we need to compromise,'” Ahrens said.
She said she felt the regents really listened to students and took their wishes into account before making the decision.
“I am happy it was lowered from 5.2 [percent],” Ahrens said.
Jischke said he hopes students understand why tuition was adjusted.
“The Board of Regents recognized that for us to achieve our goals of becoming the No. 1 land-grant university, an adjustment was needed,” Jischke said.
Burkhardt said he understands that a tuition increase was needed, but he said he had high expectations that it would be lower.
Regent Clark Kelly also expressed concern about the outcome.
“4.5 [percent] satisfies nobody,” Kelly said.