Timing for First Reading on Tuition

Because the Board of Regents does not have enough information about the state budget, a first reading of 2019-20 tuition rates is not currently on the April 18 Board of Regents meeting agenda.  However, as the legislature continues its consideration of state appropriations, it is possible that tuition could be added to the agenda if more information becomes available. If tuition is added, it will be done no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting, as required by state law.

If not enough information is known for tuition to be considered at the April 18 meeting, a special Board meeting will be called for either late April or early May, where a first reading of tuition will be heard. Final approval of tuition rates remains on schedule for the June 4-6 Board of Regents meeting.

“We need more information about the state budget and what the Regents appropriation will be to determine our tuition rates,” said Board of Regents President Mike Richards. “We will move forward with setting tuition rates once we have a better idea of what funds the state will provide to us.”

In September 2018, the Board requested an additional $18 million in general university state appropriations for fiscal year 2020. In November 2018, the Board announced a new multi-year tuition model for resident undergraduate students.  Highlights of the plan are as follows:

  • For the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, the Board has set guardrails on tuition.
    • If the state fully funds the appropriations request, the 2019-20 base resident undergraduate tuition rate will increase three percent.
    • If the state provides no additional funding, the base resident undergraduate rate increase will be three percent plus the projected Higher Education Price Index (HEPI), which is estimated at two percent.
    • If the state partially funds the appropriation request, the base resident undergraduate rate will be somewhere within that defined range of three to five percent.
  • For the University of Northern Iowa, if the state fully funds the appropriations request, resident undergraduate tuition would not increase for 2019-20.

“One of the key elements in our new model was that tuition would only be set one time, so we may have to wait,” Richards said. “We want predictability for our students, and once we have enough information we will set tuition rates.  We will continue to work with the legislature and governor’s office on funding for the Regent enterprise.”

The upcoming Board of Regents meeting will be held at the University of Iowa on April 18. Live audio streaming of the meeting will be available on the Board's YouTube channel.