Iowa City Press Citizen
02/22/06
$6M proposal disappoints Skorton
Regents had asked state for $40M in 'transformation plan'
By Gregg Hennigan
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Leaders at Iowa's public universities are expressing strong disappointment with
an initial legislative proposal that would greatly reduce the money they get each
year from the state.
Last week, the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee recommended an
increase of $6 million in new funding for the University of Iowa, Iowa State
University and the University of Northern Iowa.
That's well short of the $40 million each year that's called for in the four-year
"transformation" plan adopted by the Iowa state Board of Regents. Under the
plan, which is not guaranteed, the regents agreed to keep tuition increases low in
exchange for $40 million annually from the Legislature.
UI's share of the subcommittee's proposal would be $2.5 million.
"This sum would not be sufficient to cover unavoidable cost increases, such as
increasing energy costs and state mandated salary increases of $4.8 million," UI
President David Skorton said in a statement. "In addition, the university would
find it very difficult to replace faculty and staff as they resign or retire, to offer the
courses and services our students need and to pay faculty for competitive
salaries."
ISU would receive $2.4 million and President Gregory Geoffroy in a statement
called the subcommittee's recommendation "extremely disappointing."
Tuition also could be affected. Last fall, the regents approved tuition increases for
next year ranging from 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent for undergraduate in-state
students at regent universities largely because of the transformation plan.
That was a change from much larger tuition increases the previous few years,
including 18.5 percent in 2002-2003 and 17.6 percent the following year.
Regent Bob Downer of Iowa City said that while he was confident the state would
increase the $6 million figure, not providing enough new funding would force the
board to reassess tuition levels.
"We're not the ones who will be making that happen if it occurs," he said. "This
will be in direct response in inadequate funding from the Legislature."
The subcommittee's proposal was just an initial step in the budget process. It still
must go before the House Appropriations Committee, the full House, the Senate
Appropriations Committee and the full Senate before being sent to the governor.
Sen. Robert Dvorsky, D-Coralville, said the $6 million figure was a House
Republican proposal that likely will be increased by the Senate. Republicans hold
a slim majority in the House while the Senate is evenly split.
"I'm not certain we'll get to the full $40 million, but we certainly can get closer
than $6 million," said Dvorsky, who is co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations
Committee. "Those are unacceptable targets."
Gregg Hennigan can be reached at 339-7360 or ghennigan@press-citizen.com.