IOWA CITY — An amendment to decrease the proposed tuition hike from 3.9 percent to 2.6 percent was defeated 7-2 at the state Board of Regents meeting Thursday in Iowa City. The 3.9 percent increase will go into effect July of 1997.

“Greater access to financial aid is seen as an excuse to raise tuition,” said Regent Tom Dorr, of Marcus, after quoting from a letter sent to him by Adam Gold, Iowa State Government of Student Body president.

Dorr had proposed the 2.6 percent increase.

“There have been 44 percent more loans since ’91-92 … In my opinion, Iowa State students would rather have lower tuition rates than easier access to debt,” Gold said in his letter. Dorr said he doesn’t see tangible benefits from the hike.

“Charging more money for no additional benefits is wrong,” Dorr said.

ISU President Martin Jischke supported the 3.9 percent increase. Jischke said a university does not fund its programs to maintain the current level of quality, but rather to improve the quality of its programs.

The 3.9 percent increase was also supported by the University of Iowa and UNI presidents.

Gold and his cabinet spent the last week promoting the lower tuition increase to board members. He said he was disappointed by the vote.

“I felt like we had more votes when we came into the room. I feel like the [decision] was a lot closer than the vote indicated,” Gold said. He said he felt the other regents had already made up their minds before discussion.

In support of the lower tuition increase, Allison Miller, a representative from the University of Iowa student government, presented a collection of 300 letters sent to the regents by Iowa students who oppose the 3.9 percent hike.

Miller said tangible benefits for students were listed lowest on the list of improvements to be made with the additional funds.

“Students need to be a top priority,” Miller said.

Regent Nancy Pellet, of Atlantic, who voted to decrease the hike to 2.6 percent, said of the three groups the board serves — taxpayers, faculty and administration, and students — students should be the most important. Pellet opposed the tuition increase at the September meeting because she did not think raising both tuition and financial aid made sense.

Other regents, who voted for increase, said if there is a need to increase tuition next year, specific improvements made with this year’s additional funds should be cited.

“Use specific examples of the improvements made so students can see where their money went,” said Regent Aileen Mahood. Mahood, considered the student regent, graduated from UNI last May and is now a first-year teacher at Ames High School.

“The increase strikes a wise and judicious balance,” said Regent James Arenson, of Cedar Rapids.

In other news:

*ÿThe State Extension and Continuing Education Council (SECEC) presented a report about revising the strategic plans of the regent universities to attract more off-campus students. Officials said in the report that campuses should be more “user-friendly” to non-traditional, off-campus students.

Marcia Bankirer, ISU director of Extension Services, said by evaluating policies that may inconvenience off-campus students and creating more evening programs, ISU hopes to attract more students.

“Diversity of students involves age as well as culture,” Bankirer said.

* The board voted unanimously to allow ISU to hire a consulting team to develop a long-term plan for utilizing and/or modifying ISU residence halls. Tom Thielen, vice president for student affairs, said in order to compete with off-campus housing, ISU must re-evaluate its residence halls.

The report will be presented to the board next spring.