Proposed tuition increases remain under 2 percent

Following three years of steady tuition for resident undergraduate students, Iowa State is requesting increases of less than 2 percent for all but its veterinary medicine students for the 2015-16 year. Proposed rates include a 1.75 percent increase for resident students (undergraduate and graduate), 1.2 percent for out-of-state students and 3.2 percent for all veterinary medicine students. The state Board of Regents will review proposed rates when it meets Oct. 22-23 in Iowa City. A vote is expected at the board's Dec. 3 meeting.

A live audio stream of open sessions of the board meeting is available on the regents website.

Proposed ISU tuition increases, 2015-16 (two semesters)

Mandatory student fee

The proposed $1,087.90 mandatory student fee reflects one increase, $4.50 to the student services fee.

*Standard technology fee. The range, based on program and grade level, is $184-$446.

Common fees, program-specific fees

Each university also maintains a fee list for specific services charged only to students who use them. Iowa State will ask to adjust several fees at the rate of the tuition increase:

• Continuing education and Lakeside Lab credit-hour fees, increase 1.8 percent ($5-$8)
• Graduate registration fee during semesters of thesis work only, increase 1.8 percent ($16)

Building projects

Iowa State will bring three construction requests to the board:

• Final approval for a $4 million plan to construct research laboratories for new faculty members in about 10,500 square feet of basement space in Hach Hall intentionally left unfinished when the building opened in 2010. Private gifts will cover the cost of the project.
• Final approval for a $6.2 million residence department plan to remodel the unused Friley Hall dining room into a food court/dining center with a seating capacity of 300. The cost will be covered by department funds ($1.7 million) and dormitory revenue bonds ($4.5 million).
• Begin planning for summer 2015 improvements to the exterior walls of Larch residence hall to improve insulating value and reduce condensation, similar to the work done at Willow Hall last summer. The estimated project cost of $3.3 million will be covered by department funds.

Flexible study in Wisconsin

The board also invited Aaron Brower, interim chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW Extension, to give a 20-minute presentation on Wisconsin's "flexible option program," which gives nontraditional students a more personalized, convenient and affordable way to earn a degree or certificate while balancing work, family and other responsibilities. The program is a partnership between University of Wisconsin campuses and Wisconsin extension, and tracks what students know, rather than how much time they spend learning.

Academic business

Iowa State will request final approval for these academic program changes:

• Name change for the integrated studio arts department in the College of Design, to art and visual culture, effective spring 2015, to better align with the program's offerings
• Termination of M.A. and Ph.D. programs in history of technology and science (history department), due to reduced department funding, faculty retirements and inability to maintain the graduate programs, effective after two remaining students graduate (expected this fall)
• Name change for Ph.D. program in the history department, to rural, agricultural, technological and environmental history (currently is agricultural history and rural studies), effective spring 2015. This will integrate elements of the discontinued Ph.D. program, above.
• Name change for the interdisciplinary M.S. and Ph.D. programs, to genetics and genomics (currently is genetics), to better reflect the curriculum and faculty research, effective spring 2015
• Revisions to ISU's 2014-15 general catalog, including 162 new courses and 111 eliminated courses