Regents propose tuition, fee increases

On the heels of the Legislature's adjournment last week, the state Board of Regents will hold a special meeting Thursday, May 11 (3:30 p.m., board office in Urbandale) to have a first reading of proposed tuition and fee increases for the 2023-24 academic year. A vote on the proposed rates would occur at the board's June 14 meeting.

The proposed rates include a 3.5% increase ($304) for resident undergraduates and 4% tuition increases for nonresident undergraduates and all graduate students. Professional students -- those enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program -- would experience tuition increases of 3.8% (nonresidents) to 5% (resident students).

Since state appropriations and tuition are the two key funding pieces for Iowa's public universities, the regents set tuition rates for the coming year once they know what the state's support will be.

The agenda item notes that the regents requested $32 million in additional operating funds for the fiscal year that begins July 1; Iowa State's portion of that request was $12 million. The Legislature voted to not increase the general fund operating appropriation, but did approve special purpose funding totaling $7.1 million (subject to Gov. Kim Reynolds' signature), $2.5 million of which would go to Iowa State to support additional degree and certificate programs in high-demand areas.

Proposed tuition* and mandatory fee increases: 2023-24

*base tuition rates, doesn't reflect supplemental tuition rates

The Ivy College of Business will seek board permission to phase in, over three years, differential tuition rates for its sophomore students to align with rates for junior and senior business students. If approved, implementation would start this fall with a differential tuition increase of $1,010 for resident sophomores, $1,192 for nonresidents.

Mandatory student fees

As proposed, all Iowa State students would pay an additional $60 (4.1%) next year in mandatory fees, bringing total fees to at least $1,515 (students in specific programs pay a higher technology fee, according to the demands of that program). The proposed increase would be applied to these specific fees:

• Technology, $14 increase for higher software license fees
• Health, $15 increase to support a fulltime psychologist, rising costs for medical supplies and professional salaries necessary for market competitiveness
• Student activities, $10 increase to support student government's inflationary costs and the Iowa State Daily student newspaper
• Student services, $11 increase to CyRide for fuel and labor increases
• Building fee, $10 increase to the Memorial Union to keep up with inflation

University and program fees

The universities have a second set of fees that students pay only when they use that service. Iowa State is asking for:

• A $15 increase to the undergraduate application fee (to $55 for all U.S. applicants and $65 for international students).
• A 3.5-4% increase in the per-credit-hour rate for continuing education courses, to keep pace with general tuition increases.
• A $95 increase (to $290) to the New Student Programs fee, to continue to offer online and in-person programming choices and increase the hourly wages for student tour guides. This fee hasn't changed since 2008-09.
• A $120 increase (to $250) to the one-time university records and documents fee for degree-seeking students, to help cover inflationary costs for personnel, commencement ceremonies, and transcript and diploma production, and to implement the new student information system.
• A $25 increase (to $75) to the university records and documents fee for non-degree-seeking students.