(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents held the first reading of a proposed increase in tuition at the three state universities at its meeting Thursday. Brad Berg of the Regents’ office explained the proposal. “The proposed base undergraduate resident tuition increases include a three and a half percent increase at each of the three universities and that amounts to 305 dollars at the University of Iowa, 304 dollars at Iowa State, and 285 dollars at U-N-I,” Berg says.

The proposal would also increase mandatory fees at the U-I by 306 dollars, 60 dollars at I-S-U, and 32 dollars at U-N-I. Regent David Barker pointed out that the proposed tuition increase is well below the recent inflation numbers. “Which are running close to five, below the most recent increase in Iowa personal income per capita, that’s about seven-point-four percent. Below most recent median household income numbers in Iowa which is about five-point-two percent,” Barker says. “So, I mean, we’re we’re continuing to be affordable for middle class Iowans.”

Barker says students are really getting a tuition cut. “In real terms after inflation we’re cutting tuition because our increase is less than the inflation rate,” Barker says.

David Barker (Board of Regents photo)

Barker is an Iowa City native, who is an economist who owns a company that manages and develops apartments and real estate. The Regent’s staff says the increases are needed after the legislature denied a request for an increase of 32 million dollars in state support for the universities. The second and final reading of the proposed increase will be held at the Board’s June 13th meeting. They will also hear from student leaders on the increase at that time as well.