Eliminate Tuition Set-Aside and More Than 25,000 Students Would Lose Assistance, Regents Told
The tuition set-aside program has faced criticism by some state lawmakers and members of the public.
Eliminating a controversial program to set-aside a portion of tuition funds for scholarships would harm Iowa's public universities, an Iowa Board of Regents staff member told the regents today.
Patrice Sayre, chief business officer for the Board of Regents, addressed the board at their meeting on the University of Northern Iowa campus today. She said 25,583 students currently receive assistance under the tuition set-aside program.
She said eliminating the program, which has recently come under fire from some state lawmakers, would potentially decrease enrollment, make it harder for low-income students to receive higher education and decrease diversity at Iowa's three public universities.
The program works by setting aside at least 15 percent of every student's tuition for need-based and merit scholarship assistance for other students.
Many have criticized the program, saying the set-aside is out of place in an age when students are taking out costly loans to finance their education.
Sayre, however, said if the program is eliminated, tuition rates would not automatically decline. Instead, the tuition funds that currently go to scholarships would likely be re-directed to other budget areas.
The regents will discuss the tuition set-aside program in greater depth at their June 6 meeting on the University of Iowa campus.
Tracey Makela
10:28 am on Sunday, April 29, 2012
Students take out loans to pay for their college education. The students that are receiving the Set Aside tuition and grants, which is being paid for by other students scholarships and loans, should also have to take out loans to pay for their college education! And if the colleges and universities aren't using the money at this time for other budget areas- then why insist that it will be used for budget if not the Set-Aside? Reducing tuition across the board would help ALL students to be able to attend a state college and university!
David Leonard
7:30 pm on Sunday, April 29, 2012
The only way tuition can be reduced across the board is for the legislature to appropriate more money for the universities. That may or may not require higher taxes. Years ago the state paid a much higher proportion of the cost of a university education than it does today.
Maria Houser Conzemius
7:12 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tracey Makela, you are absolutely right. The middle class is getting squeezed tightly and we have less and less disposable income. If my daughter didn't have to go into debt to get through school, I'd say fine, I'll do my part to help others. However, we help her all we can and she's still $17,000 in debt, with 24% of her tuition payments going to help pay for another student's tuition. My daughter has worked since she was 16 years old and babysat before that. We pay federal, state, local/property taxes. The University of Iowa could do a lot more to save money.
Why on earth, for example, is the University of Iowa donating $100,000 a year to SSMID, now the Downtown Business Association? I strongly believe that UI administrators could do more to save money, and obviously they're not doing it. What does the Downtown Business Association have to do with the university's mission?
Mark French
4:39 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Isn't it ironic that they are not as worried about the Iowa students who have forgone college because they could not afford it or go into debt as most students do. Do not buy the false assertion that all the kids that recieve these funds are Iowans that need it: See:
http://cedarfalls.patch.com/announcements/transparency-and-accountability-in-iowa-tuition-and-set-aside-surcharge-scheme-is-needed
Maria Houser Conzemius
8:21 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Mark French, thanks! I look forward to reading your link.
Maria Houser Conzemius
8:25 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Mark, OMG, my kid is paying for kids who demonstrate no financial need, kids from out of state, and kids from other countries? And she's going into debt to pay 24% of her tuition toward another student's tuition, a student who hasn't even demonstrated a need for the money? That's outrageous! Thank you for your op-ed in the Cedar Falls Patch. I'm going to print it off and save it. For anyone who missed it, read
http://cedarfalls.patch.com/announcements/transparency-and-accountability-in-iowa-tuition-and-set-aside-surcharge-scheme-is-needed
Mark French
4:27 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
According to a recent Board of Regents presentation, nationally about 60% of institutional aid at public institutions goes to students without need. In Iowa, 26%-35% of tuition set aside dollars to undergraduates (and a higher percentage of all institutional aid dollars) are no-need. There are 11 States with NO Set-Aside Policy.
http://www.regents.iowa.gov/Meetings/DocketMemos/12Memos/March2012/SBaumpresentation(March%202012).pdf
Maria Houser Conzemius
5:19 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
Mark French, you are extremely knowledgeable on this subject. Iowa should have a no set-aside policy too. I can't believe that over a third of the kids getting money from my daughter, who has to go into debt to involuntary give it to them, haven't even demonstrated financial need. This is incredible, and I wish more people knew.