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Senate Update: Iowa’s universities must ensure good education at a good price
by Bob Dvorsky, State Senator · Op-Ed · September 01, 2016


It’s a shared responsibility to ensure Iowa’s state universities continue offering a world-class education at a good value — especially in tight budget times.
Iowa students are doing their part. They have better high school and college graduation rates than the nation as a whole. That’s good because in a few years about two-thirds of job openings will require education or training beyond high school.

College gets more expensive every year, though, making it impossible for many to attend and burdening those who do with massive debt. About 62 percent of Iowa’s state university graduates in 2014 had student loan debt, averaging $27,523. That’s above the national average, according to the Institute for College Access & Success.

High student debt is one of the reasons legislators voted to freeze tuition at our state universities for three years in a row, while Iowa recovered from the national economic recession. But Governor Branstad put an end to that last year, when he vetoed bipartisan education funding.

This year, we’re continuing our commitment to higher education by investing in buildings, technology and equipment that enhance innovation, research and training at our universities.

Despite increased state funding for the three state universities, the Iowa Board of Regents raised tuition $250 for in-state undergraduates. That means students will pay $7,128 in tuition at the University of Iowa this year, and $7,098 at Iowa State and UNI.

I’ll continue to encourage the Regents to operate in a transparent and accountable way with taxpayer and student money, and to do what they can to keep costs down, because affordable tuition for those who study hard and work hard is a smart approach to strengthening Iowa’s middle class, workforce and economy.

To contact Senator Dvorsky during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise he can be reached at home at 319-351-0988. E-mail him at bob.dvorsky@legis.iowa.gov.