FY 2023 State Appropriation Requests
At its September meeting, the Board of Regents will consider approval of FY 2023 state appropriation requests totaling $638.6 million. This request includes a continuation of last year’s appropriation and further, incremental funding for the higher education general fund, special purpose units, the special schools and economic development.
Request Basics
Iowa Code requires the Board to submit its yearly appropriations request to the Iowa State Legislature prior to October 1. The bulk of the Board’s legislative request is the higher education general university appropriations request, which serves as the universities’ main source of state funding. Further money is appropriated for special purpose units, the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISD and IESVBI), economic development, agriculture and natural resources and other appropriations.
General Fund
The Board is requesting $15 million in incremental funding for the higher education general fund. The general fund provides resources essential for quality public higher education. The University of Iowa is requesting $4 million in incremental funding to improve retention and graduation of students. Iowa State is requesting $7 million for investment in faculty and staff retention, online learning and student success. UNI is requesting $4 million to help it hold tuition rates flat for the 2022-23 academic year.
Special Purpose Units
The SUI Oakdale Campus, State Hygienic Laboratory, Flood Center and Family Practice Program have requested incremental funding to support economic development efforts, staff retention, procurement and other initiatives. The UNI-CC Degree Attainment Program requests additional funding to help ease the process for place-bound learners to move from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree, primarily through scholarships.
Special Schools
The Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired request incremental funding to maintain parity with funding for K-12 public schools and to fund professional and scientific staff salaries, among other initiatives.
Economic Development
Units included in the funding request include the SUI’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth Initiative, the Center for Advanced Drug Development, the University of Iowa Research Park and the BioVentures Center; ISU’s Center for Industrial Research and Service Technology Assistance Program, the Research Park, and the Small Business Development Centers; UNI’s Institute for Decision Making, Metal Casting Center, MyEntreNet, and Advance Iowa. In addition, the Regents Innovation Fund requests incremental funding to further leverage private and federal funds to expand economic development initiatives.
