Des Moines Register
06-05-06
Universities key, but funds tight
The issue:
Leaders of Iowa’s three state universities — the University of Iowa, Iowa State
University and the University of Northern Iowa — say the Legislature fell short in
funding the institutions’ operating budgets for next school year. The Board of
Regents is considering a one-time, $100-per-student, per-semester surcharge to
make up for the shortfall. It’s being called an energy/environment surcharge and
would pay for higher energy costs, deferred maintenance on buildings and library
acquisitions. That in turn would allow money to be redirected toward “reasonable
salary increases” for faculty. The board will vote on the proposal, which is
expected to raise nearly $10.9 million, on June 20.
Catch up after decade of shortfalls
By MICHAEL GRONSTAL
SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
Iowa's public universities are the gateway to a more prosperous future for tens of
thousands of Iowans.
Our public universities must continue to be the capstone of a world-class publiceducation system, because well-educated Iowans are our state's most important
social and economic resource.
To serve our state, our universities must be both affordable and offer the best
education possible. To a remarkable degree, the University of Iowa, Iowa State
University and the University of Northern Iowa succeed in meeting both those
goals.
Unfortunately, the Legislature's support for higher education has fallen short in
the past decade.
Democrats in the Iowa Senate have repeatedly drawn attention to this problem.
The good news is that since gaining an equal share of power with Senate
Republicans in the last election, we've started to repair the damage caused by
that neglect. In 2005, university funding increased by $13 million. In 2006, we
added $40 million in new dollars.
This is only a start, but it is the only way to repair the financial damage that has
been imposed since the mid-1990s. That's why I agreed to Regent President
Michael Gartner's offer to limit tuition hikes as long as the universities received
increases of at least $40 million a year.
I am personally disappointed to hear the regents are even talking about reneging
on their end of the bargain by imposing a $200-a-year "energy fee." Plain and
simple, this is a back-door tuition increase that would be unfair to students and
their families.
We shouldn't, however, let this dust-up prevent us from acknowledging the signs
of progress. There is an emerging bipartisan — and long overdue — legislative
consensus that Iowa's universities should be an integral part of our state's
economic-development efforts. This year, for example, legislation was approved
that helps fund university research into biotechnology and alternative-energy
advances. The economic and technical innovations created by our universities
can help create good jobs at good wages in Iowa.
Most Iowans are ahead of the Legislature when it comes to supporting
affordable, high-quality public education. In a democracy, that sort of imbalance
does not last. Attitudes in the Legislature are shifting, and I expect they will shift
more after the next election.
Now is the time for education advocates to keep the pressure on and to look for
ways to further integrate our great educational institutions into the state's
economic-development efforts. Let's encourage the economic spin-offs that have
made the areas near Iowa's universities some of the most prosperous in the
state.
As we heal the financial damage of the past, however, we've got to keep the door
open to all Iowa families. After all, the most important way that Iowa's universities
will contribute to our future is by providing an affordable, high-quality education to
Iowa's next generation of teachers, business leaders, engineers, doctors and
other professionals.
MICHAEL GRONSTAL of Council Bluffs is Senate Democratic leader.
Dissect ways to increase efficiencies
By MARY LUNDBY
SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
The struggle for adequate funding at institutions of higher learning is one that has
gone on for many years. The concerns of those at public universities are
matched by similar concerns from the private four-year colleges and the
community colleges. In times of tight budgets, public dollars have to stretch
further, and recipients of those dollars are asked to do more with less.
Despite the past few years of lackluster revenues, the Iowa Legislature has
consistently made education funding a top priority. During the 2006 session, the
Legislature appropriated nearly $53.5 million to the regents universities.
Additional 2006 accomplishments for higher-education funding include: $36
million over three years for a new hygienic lab at the University of Iowa, $2
million to build a college of Public Health at the University of Iowa, an increase of
$10.6 million to benefit the IowaCare program at the University of Iowa and an
increase of $3 million for the Iowa State University Veterinary Lab.
Like many Iowa parents, students and families, legislators are concerned about
the rising cost of tuition. But we need to remember that Iowa's universities are
still highly competitive among their peer institutions. When you compare resident
tuition and fee rates at Iowa universities to the national trends, it is clear Iowa's
higher-education institutions still provide a quality education at a very reasonable
price.
Resident tuition and fees at the University of Iowa for the 2005-2006 academic
year were $5,612. By comparison, the average resident tuition and fees for the
2005-2006 academic year for students in the Big Ten were $7,856. Iowa ranks
the lowest for annual tuition and fees in the Big Ten.
As the watchdog of taxpayer dollars, it is the duty of the Legislature to ensure
Iowans' money is being spent in the most useful and efficient manner. It's
possible that even in times of tight budgets, our universities can deliver a highquality product. But that means our schools will have to tighten their collective
belts and increase efficiencies.
For example, is there duplication in the delivery of academic programs at the
regents universities that could be eliminated? Should each school build upon its
areas of academic excellence while scaling back other majors that are stronger
at another institution? Leaders in the higher-education community must consider
these questions.
The Legislature understands how important it is to sufficiently fund our highereducation institutions, but it is equally important to dissect how taxpayer dollars
are being spent in the multi-million-dollar university budgets.
Finally, this past legislative session, the Iowa Legislature called upon the Institute
for Tomorrow's Workforce to study the entire K-16 education system in Iowa and
provide recommendations for methods to improve quality and efficiencies.
The results of this study will not only benefit Iowa's pocketbooks, but also ensure
our children are receiving the best-quality education our money can buy.
MARY LUNDBY of Marion is Republican leader of the Senate.
Look for savings; don't impose surcharge
By CHRISTOPHER RANTS
SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
June 5, 2006Iowans are fortunate to have three fine public universities with
excellent faculty in the classrooms, world-class researchers in the laboratories
and marvelous facilities on our three campuses.
Educating our young people for the world's challenges is an expensive yet vital
endeavor. Unfortunately, the Register inaccurately stated in Monday's paper the
"Legislature is spending less on the three state universities this year than it did
nearly a decade ago." The Register's own graph shows that taxpayers will spend
$493 million in 2006 compared to $205 million in 1981.
Iowa taxpayers support the three schools in the amount of $10,499 per student,
according to the non-partisan Legislative Service Agency. Iowa ranks 13th in the
country in per-capita spending on our universities.
All totaled, the Legislature increased funding more than $80 million for the
upcoming year, including $11 million for general operations, $10.6 million for the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and $18.3 million for new building
projects.
The presidents point out how universities help drive economic development and I
agree — which is why we agreed to spend $20 million for a new university-based
bioscience program. The remainder of funding is allocated for dozens of projects
designed to assist universities in offering more for the student.
The Register runs all of this under the banner headline, "Starving our
universities?"
Tell that to the K-12 school superintendent getting $4,063 per student, or the
community-college president balancing his/her budget with $1,934 per student.
The regents are not starving. With annual revenue topping $3.2 billion, maybe
the regents need to look in the mirror and consider a more sensible diet rather
than asking students for a $100 "surcharge."
A vehicle fleet with 1,272 cars, vans and two airplanes; 3,219 more employees
over 10 years while enrollment grew by 4,000; three payroll departments when
one could do the job. Asking legislators to authorize competing master's degree
programs at multiple schools. These examples lead me to believe they are,
perhaps, too well fed in certain areas. Could they reallocate from within, saving
students from a surprise surcharge?
All three university presidents cite challenges keeping talented faculty. Perhaps
faculty should consider whether collective bargaining of salaries truly recognizes
their individual talents and contributions.
What concerns me most: Rather than have an honest discussion about ways to
keep tuition manageable, by savings and controlling costs, their drumbeat to
raise taxes is starting. Make no mistake, that is what is going on.
I am very concerned about the proposed surcharge on students. I believe it is
misleading and a mistake. At no time did the regents mention the need for the
surcharge when they agreed to an $80 million increase in funding for next year.
The Iowa Legislature is committed to providing Iowans, of all ages, with access
to an affordable, high-quality education. I would like to see that happen without a
surcharge.
CHRISTOPHER RANTS, R- Sioux City, is speaker of the House.
Talk About It
The state universities have proposed a $100-per-student, per-semester
surcharge to make up for a funding shortfall.
What do you think of the fee proposal? Do you think university funding is
adequate, or should it be increased, to keep higher education affordable?
More funding justified
Speaking as an Iowa State University Professional and Scientific (P&S)
employee:
In terms of new state dollars, ISU is scheduled to receive nearly $19 million in
restricted appropriations (dollars with a specific use attached to them) and about
$8 million to help cover rising operating expenses.
However, $3.6 million of the $8 million are one-time funds for building repairs and
operating expenses, thus leaving only $4.4 million as recurring funding to the
general operating budget. This $4.4 million equals about a 1.86 percent increase
over this year’s recurring state funding for ISU, which is far short of covering
items like compensation increases and rising utility costs.
Thus, the regents’ exploration of new state operating funds is justified.
— Jason Follett, Ankeny
ISU student sees erosion
As an engineering student at Iowa State University, I have seen and felt firsthand the effects of the “steady erosion of state funding for Iowa’s public
universities,” as ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said in a May 4 letter to
faculty and staff.
The financial needs of the Regents schools are not being met, as evidenced by
steeply rising tuition, the necessity for an engineering surcharge and the
continued need for improved facilities and more faculty.
The concerns of university presidents and the Board of Regents are not
criticisms of the Iowa House, but a reflection of the need for adequate funding to
provide quality education and services to students.
— Sasha Kemmet, Adel
Elderly helped; young hurt
The Register and the legislative leadership have evaluated the recently
completed General Assembly. An affirmative step of the Legislature was another
tax break for those of us in the entitled generation (above 65). A negative impact
was talk of a surcharge at the universities.
The pandering to the entitled generation may keep a couple of us elderly away
from migrating to Florida for whatever short-term benefit that is, but the long-term
impact on the educational institutions may be harder to measure.
Long-term thinking affects those not yet eligible to vote.
— Michael Kennedy, New Hampton.