Gov. Terry Branstad released his annual budget last week in conjunction with his Condition of the State address. Included in the budget, the governor planned for an almost $8 million increase in funding for the state’s three regent universities.

While an increase in education funding is always a positive, this $7.9 million increase planned by Gov. Branstad is significantly lower than what the Iowa Board of Regents had requested for its schools. Because universities are struggling with both growth and student debt, our state government needs to make higher education funding more of a priority this year.

Gov. Branstad’s almost $8 million increase in funding for all three universities would not even cover ISU President Steven Leath’s requested funding increase this year, which totals almost $8.2 million to “maintain educational excellence, promote student success and keep tuition affordable.” Branstad’s increase is also significantly lower than the increase in funding the Board of Regents requested — $20.3 million — at the beginning of the school year for all three regent universities.

The small increase in funding in Gov. Branstad’s budget shows there is not much value placed on higher education. The state’s high student debt rates after graduation coupled with Iowa State’s unprecedented growth — and growth in Northern Iowa’s and Iowa’s enrollment last fall — requires the state government to be more financially supportive of higher education.

The state of Iowa seems to have not supported higher education in recent history, which may have contributed to Iowa’s high student loan debt upon graduation with a four-year degree. Iowa ranked eighth in the country in 2014 for the most student debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success’ most recent published numbers.

Additionally, on average, students at all of Iowa’s four-year schools graduate with an average of $29,732 of student debt, according to the same study. Starting life out with student loans can negatively impact young professionals and the economy they live in, according to a survey done by the non-profit organization American Student Assistance.

While student loan debt negatively impacts many areas of life, respondents to the survey showed areas like saving and big purchases are dramatically affected. About 27 percent of respondents said “they found it difficult to buy daily necessities because of their student loans,” and 75 percent said “student loan debt affected their decision or ability to purchase a home.”

If many graduates feel as if they can’t make large purchases, like cars or homes, or even buy smaller things in their daily lives, it will obviously impact the economy in a negative way if this problem occurs for enough people. In Iowa, 68 percent of students graduate with student loan debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success, so the state government obviously has a stake (the economy) in student loan debt.

Lastly, the state’s universities all need additional funding support from the state government because all three saw growth in enrollment this fall from the previous year. Iowa State grew the most, almost 4 percent, to reach an enrollment of 36,001 this fall.

If the state wants to see its universities grow and more Iowans receive an education, shouldn’t it support the growth of the schools financially to assure quality education? Gov. Branstad’s budget does not adequately support the regent universities, so the state legislature should better support higher education than the recommended $8 million increase in funding.