(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents plans to ask the Iowa Legislature for an increase of 32 million dollars for its next budget when they meet this week. The Regents say the additional funding is needed due to inflation and increased costs for everything from software, food, utilities, fuel, and wages. Information provided for the meeting in Cedar Falls Thursday says there is great concern about employee costs in a market heavily influenced by inflation, competition for talent, and labor shortages.

The Iowa Legislature increased university funding by five million dollars in the last budget — which was 15 million dollars short of what the Board of Regents requested. The Board then voted to raise tuition at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa.