The Iowa Board of Regents approved tuition rates and mandatory fees for the 2016-2017 academic year Wednesday in Ames, where they also voted to award two honorary doctorate degrees and to approve several business transactions for capital improvement.

The board unanimously voted to approve 2016-2017 tuition rates and mandatory fees for the three regent universities. The University of Iowa will see a 3 percent increase in undergraduate resident tuition after being withheld from the increase Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa saw for the spring 2016 semester.

Iowa State and Northern Iowa will not see a tuition increase for the 2016-2017 academic year.

In addition to the new tuition rates, mandatory fees will be increased for international students at Iowa State by $500 every year for the next three years.

The fee increase will start with the 2016-2017 academic year, totaling $1,500 by the 2018-2019 academic year.

Although the regents unanimously supported the new tuition rates and fees, it wasn’t without some reluctance.

“Over time, [university funding] has shifted from 70 percent state support and 30 percent tuition to the opposite, as we all know,” said Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter. “At the end of the day, the universities need the resources to compete and improve programs to maintain quality. Student debt without quality isn’t something that this board is going to support, so we may have some tough choices to make.”

Tuition revenues make up about 61 percent of the combined operating budgets of the regent universities, slightly more than last year.

“It’s time to talk to your resident legislator,” said regent Larry McKibben. “It is time to get into their backyards, to get into their town halls and deliver the message.”

McKibben also expressed the importance of the three regent universities to the economic community in Iowa.

The regents also unanimously approved Iowa State’s request to raze Spangler Geotechnical Lab and Storage Building, which is expected to cost about $250,000.

Other approved projects and plans include renovations to the Forker Building, Jack Trice Stadium improvements and renovations to Friley Residence Hall and its dining center.

Eugene G. Sukup and Dame DeAnne Julius will be honored with honorary doctorate degrees during fall 2015 commencement, as the board unanimously approved requests from Iowa State.

Sukup will receive his honorary doctorate in science, and Julius will receive hers in humane letters.

The next Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for Feb. 24 and 25 at Iowa State.