Student financial aid and funding for agricultural research were two high-priority issues discussed in Washington, D.C., last week by Iowa State President Martin Jischke.

In his annual visit to the nation’s capital, Jischke, accompanied by Stuart Hadley, associate director of Government Relations, and Carol Bradley, director of Government Relations, met with Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, to talk about ISU and its future.

“We hope that presenting our congressional delegates with an agenda of initiatives for federal funding will help in getting federal action on some of our university’s important issues,” Jischke said.

According to Hadley, Jischke goes to Washington, D.C., once a year to meet with each congressional delegate.

During his visits to Capitol Hill, Jischke articulates ISU’s priority needs in hopes that U.S. senators and representatives will respond to them.

Along with financial aid and agricultural research, authorization bills, appropriation bills and a higher education bill for the university were topics of discussion this year.

“The visit is one, long day where Jischke meets with each congressional delegate and their staff separately,” Bradley said.

In the afternoon, a luncheon is held where all members are invited to attend.

At the luncheon, Bradley said, Jischke addresses all delegates by making remarks about the recent years accomplishments, what is happening at ISU and what the university wants for the next fiscal period.

In addition to this annual visit with U.S. legislators, Jischke makes three trips a year to Washington, D.C., to discuss ISU issues.

However, this particular visit is the only time he meets with the delegates individually, Bradley said.

Scott Stanzel, assistant press secretary for Grassley, said other university presidents visit Grassley about their federal agendas.

Grassley generally meets with each president of Iowa’s regents universities twice a year, once at the university’s campus and once in Washington, D.C.

During February, presidents of Iowa’s private colleges are invited to visit with the senator regarding their priority issues and concerns for federal funding.

Grassley usually meets with each president for 15 to 30 minutes and provides them with information about their issues.

Stanzel said Grassley tries to help universities and colleges by talking with the budget committee in Washington and by trying to get the universities research grants to improve education programs.