Tuition hike being considered for University of Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa

The Iowa Board of Regents is mulling a possible 3.5 percent tuition hike at each of the three state universities in response to a proposed budget increase.

The board requested an appropriations increase of $32 million for general financial support of “Regent higher education” during a September meeting last year. The proposal also references inflation and financial challenges at each institution as a reason for the tuition increase. Additionally, the document cites a need to retain staff and faculty as well as updates to facilities across the various campuses.

“Inflation impacts higher education in the same manner it affects other segments of the economy,” the proposal said.

More: Iowa State receives approval to upgrade wrestling, track facility

The tuition increase at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa would be implemented ahead of the 2023-24 academic year.

The Board of Regents is holding an initial reading this afternoon at 3:30, though no vote will occur. The second reading along with a potential vote will take place at the June board meeting, held June 13 and June 14.

How much will 3.5 percent cost?

The 3.5 percent flat rate will likely cost in-state students roughly $300 per year.

Undergraduate base tuition for a single year at the University of Iowa is currently at $8,711 for in-state residents, which means the cost would rise by $305 to $9,016.

The yearly in-state base tuition at Iowa State University is $8,678. A 3.5 percent increase would raise costs $304 to a fee of $8982 per year.

The University of Northern Iowa, based in Cedar Falls, will see in-state base tuition rise $285 to $8,396 per year.

More: Dissecting Iowa's $8.5 billion state budget. Here's what got funded and what got cut.

Graduate students at both UNI and Iowa will see a 3.5 percent increase for in-state tuition while the proposal will raise graduate rates at Iowa State by four percent.

Iowa State’s college of veterinary medicine could undergo a five percent hike, which will be funneled into upgraded diagnostic equipment and medical supplies in addition to “technological advances,” the proposal says.

The University of Iowa’s radiation sciences program of the Carver College of Medicine has requested a tuition hike of $1,294 for their on-campus residents as well as their non-resident undergraduate students. The increase is needed to balance the department’s budget across a three-year plan. The extra monies, the proposal said, will “fully fund” the radiation sciences program, which is currently operating at a budget deficit.

“The program is essential to the mission and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, as it provides healthcare personnel in the areas of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy,” the proposal reads. “There are critical shortages of these healthcare personnel.”

Additional increases are recommended at Iowa’s college of law and for specific students in the college of medicine. Nursing students will not be affected while pharmacy students could see an increase of $128 per year.

More: Iowa, ISU gambling investigation: Amounts wagered key in possible athlete reinstatement

Iowa State University’s College of Business has also proposed a tuition hike for sophomores to “align with junior and senior business majors over a three-year period.” The increase would raise tuition by $1,010 for eligible in-state students while a jump of $1,192 would be required for out-out-state residents. The proposal states nearly half of sophomores in the business school are enrolled in 300-level or 400-level courses, and an increase in tuition would make it "easier" for those students to add a second business major or focus.

Additional fee increases proposed

A handful of other monetary increases have been suggested across the three universities, with each school requesting a hike of mandatory student fees.

The University of Iowa is suggesting the most significant increase at $306 per student to help facilitate a major renovation of the Iowa Memorial Union, in addition to a small fee for technology, student services, health, and recreation.

Iowa State anticipates an increase of $60 for mandatory student fees while UNI is seeking a $32 hike for similar initiatives.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Iowa Board of Regents to vote on 3.5 percent tuition increase at June meeting