Iowa State Senator Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, released the following statement on proposed tuition increases for next year at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa.
A 3.5-percent tuition hike for in-state students as well as substantial fee increases were considered on Thursday by the Iowa Board of Regents.
“The tuition hikes considered today are just the latest result of Statehouse Republicans’ failure to support Iowans and build a stronger future for our state,” State Sen. Herman Quirmbach said. “These increases will make it harder for Iowans to go to college and will push many students further into debt.”
“Our state is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. Instead of investing in our workforce and making it easier for Iowans to access the skills employers need, Republican politicians are raising college prices and making our challenges worse,” Quirmbach said. “The budget passed by the GOP majority this year contained no new funding for our public universities’ general operations – forcing them to raise tuition to cover increases in the colleges’ costs of providing necessary services.”
“State funding for higher education is now less than it was in 2016. Our Regents universities are starved for support – and Iowa students and their families are paying the price.”
Quirmbach, D-Ames, is the ranking member on the Senate Education Committee.
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