Tuition increases possible as universities discuss budget shortfall

It looks like the tuition at the state universities will be going up once again thanks to not enough funds in the state budget. Here is a story from the WCF Courier...

The Legislature's inability to fully fund the state's three Regent universities could mean an additional tuition increase, according to administrators from each institution.

Administrators told the Board of Regents Thursday they would be unable to guarantee pay increases to non-organized faculty and staff or pay their increasing utility bills without additional revenue.

What affect does it have on students?

If students were to make up the entire shortfall through a tuition increase at UNI their costs would go up an additional 8 to 12 percent. The regents already approved tuition increases ranging from 4 to 5.5. percent for the 2006-07 school year.

Great, our senior citizens get a tax break, and our young people in the state get to pay more for college. Heck, I am all for getting a couple extra bucks here and there, but I know that taxes are an investment in our future. This is a perfect example of how tax cuts are harming our future. The seniors might actually stay in Iowa a few more years because of their tax cut, but the rise in tuition just gives our young people another reason to leave the state instead of raising their families in Iowa. That is not a way to grow your state.

When I was at Iowa in 1999-2002, tuition hikes were commonplace ranging from 10-20% a year. Overall, in past 6 years tuition to the state universities have increased over 50%. Iowa also has one of the most expensive community college tuition rates in the nation. The education system in the state needs to stop being viewed as a K-12 system and viewed as a pre K-16 system. It is good to see that teachers have been promised increased pay, but this story isn't good at all for the state. However, for people to succeed in Iowa they need some college education and too many people are unable to afford it.

We won't have to worry about how to keep younger people in the state after graduation if we continue to make it diffilcult for our young people to afford to go to college. The number one way to keep young people in the state is to provide quality and affordable education at the college level. Budget cuts and tax giveaways over the years is seriously jeopardizing this.