With state budget cuts and an increasing cost to attend Iowa public universities, a “tuition task force” is currently being created through the Board of Regents to discuss a proposed 3 percent increase to the current 2 percent tuition increase.

The second increase would build on top of the already approved “2+2” model. Within this model, a 2 percent increase would follow every two years as long as state funds also increased by 2 percent.

Though the increase is a result of $21.4 million lost by the three Iowa public universities in state appropriations, Rastetter hopes the task force will allow for more input from the regents and university heads.

“I think the $30 million cut is something, after the cut in February, that will be hard for the universities to absorb,” Rastetter said.”Clearly the “2+2” isn’t going to work, so we’ve asked the board office to come back and create a task force to engage stakeholder in Des Moines and Iowa.”

Budget cuts are now the “stark reality,” Rastetter said, as he sees fewer appropriation dollars affecting universities in a way not witnessed in many years.

Due to the $30 million lost in base revenue, the “2+2” system was not achievable, something Rastetter and the regents did not plan for when designing the program.

A telephonic regents meeting will take place after May 1 to further discuss the details of the increase, including a vote to add onto the “2+2”. The second reading would then be discussed at the board’s June meeting.