The Iowa Board of Regents met April 23-24 at the Iowa State University Alumni Center, where board members reviewed a first reading of proposed tuition and fee increases for the 2025-26 academic year and considered promotion and tenure requests for 60 Iowa State Faculty members.
During the meeting, Board President Sherry Bates emphasized the significance of the tuition-setting process and the careful approach the Board takes each year.
“Setting tuition rates is one of the most important things the Board does,” Bates said. “I have served on the Board for a decade, and we have always been thoughtful and deliberative when considering tuition rates. Our Board feels strongly that we must continue to do this, weighing the cost to our students and their families, while also being cognizant of the need to provide the universities the resources they need to continue to provide a first-class education. This is a difficult balance, but we take our charge seriously.”
Under the proposed changes, resident undergraduate tuition at Iowa State would increase by 3%, meaning a $278 rise, bringing the total to $9,530 for the academic year. Nonresident undergraduate tuition would increase 4.5% or $1,232, reaching a total of $28,578.
Mandatory fees for all undergraduates would also increase by $26, totaling $1,561. These fees include a $10 boost to the technology fee, supporting student software services, and a $16 increase to the health fee to offset higher staffing and supply costs.
Graduate tuition is also set to rise by 3%, bringing in-state rates to $11,838 and nonresident rates to $29,976. Professional students in Iowa State’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program would see a 3.5% increase for residents ($30,154) and a 3% increase for nonresidents ($61,554).
Previously, on May 19th, the regents heard student feedback at a May 19th session with student government leaders from the state’s three public universities.
In an effort to explore longer-term tuition strategies, Bates also announced the formation of a new tuition study group.
“Related to tuition, I am establishing a new tuition study group of Regents Hensley and Barker to research the merits of a tuition guarantee program whereby resident students that enroll as freshmen at a Regent university would not see a tuition increase during their subsequent years,” Bates said. “The results of the study should be reported to the Board no later than the November 2025 meeting.”
In addition to tuition discussions, the board reviewed 60 promotion and tenure requests from Iowa State Faculty. The requests include 30 promotions with tenure, 29 promotions for already tenured faculty, and one tenure-only request. If approved, the promotions will go into effect in August for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Of the 60 faculty considered, 25 are women and 35 are men. The promotions span a variety of academic disciplines and reflect Iowa State’s continued focus on faculty advancement and excelled in scholarship, teaching, and service.
The board is expected to hold a meeting in June and vote on the proposed tuition and fee increases. This meeting will determine the final decision on tuition rates, and further discussions on faculty development and tuition policy are expected to continue throughout the year.
