Iowa Senate passes bill to set tuition increase deadline, form new degree programs
The Iowa Senate unanimously passed a bill to set a deadline for approving tuition increases at state universities. (Photo illustration via Getty Images)
The Iowa Senate sent a bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk Wednesday that would set a deadline for tuition approval and implement new types of degree programs.
Titled the 'College Affordability Act,' House File 440 would require the Iowa Board of Regents set tuition for state universities in the upcoming academic year by April 30 and conduct a study into the potential of freezing a student's tuition in their first undergraduate year, making it so it won't increase over the next three years.
State universities would also need to create at least one three-year bachelor's degree program and work study program for employers to pay a student's tuition while they are employed with them under the legislation.
The bill passed with unanimous support but some lingering concerns over the Legislature's role in university finances.
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Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, noted the Iowa Board of Regents is considering potential tuition increases for the 2025-2026 academic year this week during its April meeting, but the Legislature has yet to provide them with information on what money they'll see from the state in the future.
Quirmbach said he supports the bill and hopes it can serve as a 'shove' to get the Legislature to determine state appropriations for public higher education earlier than this year and in the past. When referencing three-year degree programs, he said there are things the Legislature can do at the K-12 level to help students complete their degree faster, like providing more funding for schools.
'If, by setting this date for the board to act, it can tweak the conscience of the majority party to get their own act together, then this would be useful,' Quirmbach said. 'I can only hope that that proves to be the case.'
As state allocations have decreased to the point where anywhere from 60-70% of their budget is made up by tuition, Quirmbach said the universities and board are having to 'take a guess' at how much tuition they'll need to pay their bills.
'Everyone has to imagine that over time, if this Legislature continues to dawdle in approving education appropriations, that the board of regents is going to have to set higher tuitions than they otherwise generally would in order to cover their uncertainty,' Quirmbach said.
Sen. Jesse Green, R-Boone, floor manager of the bill, said there are a lot of areas lawmakers need to pay attention to related to this bill, including tuition increases. He added he looks forward to the board's study into tuition freezes, which is supposed to be completed and provided to the General Assembly by the end of this year.
'This issue is more than just their request,' Green said. 'Last year, we gave them $3 million less than their requests, and yet they generated about $35 million more from tuition. So there is a lot that needs to be studied here.'
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