Regents leader: Balance tuition hikes with Iowans' income

Iowa Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter said Friday he would like to see tuition at state universities rise no faster than Iowans’ income in the future.

“I think, at the public universities in Iowa, that we should be very mindful, in the future, that tuition increases should not be more than average Iowa income goes up in a year,” Rastetter said.

Any tuition increase higher than the rise in average state income would “dramatically” affect Iowa families’ ability to access the public universities, he said. Rastetter spoke during and after Friday’s taping of “Iowa Press” at Iowa Public Television.

He emphasized that that position is his personal perspective and not a board initiative. The board, which oversees state universities, had already agreed to seek a 2 percent tuition increase next fall if the state’s appropriation also rises 2 percent. He noted regents took that action before lawmakers decided to cut $18 million from the three state universities’ budgets this year.

“Fortunately, the universities have been involved in efficiency studies. From what I understand, those cuts are being made to this year's budget, not next year, and there will still be a total revenue increase if we're successful with the 2 percent for tuition and appropriations to all three universities,” he said. “So we're focused on the next round, knowing that we're able to slightly impact that unfortunate de-appropriation that just happened.”

Iowa’s median household income rose 1.79 percent from 2014 to 2015, the most recent data available. Median family income rose 2.26 percent over the same period.

On tenure, 'buttercup' proposals:

Rastetter was also sanguine about some of the proposals coming from Iowa legislators as he was about budget cuts. The Republican, who was appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad, has spoken out publicly against a bill proposed by Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, seeking to eliminate tenure for professors at state universities. He was also asked about Rep. Bobby Kaufmann’s original “Suck it up, Buttercup” proposal, which sought to penalize universities after students demonstrated to protest the election.

“The reality is — and we have weekly legislative calls — and the reality is everyone — just on some of those bills — needs to take a deep breath, and some of those legislators hear from me that that's not a brilliant bill — and it might even be a stupid bill. But, you know what, they have the right to do that,” he said.

Reappointment?

Rastetter’s term on the board ends in April. He said he is proud of the board’s accomplishments but has not decided whether he wants to seek reappointment. “There's a lot of work to be done, but I also have another life at Summit and all the things that we're doing and a great group there,” he said. “So I've just got to balance that and decide what I kind of want to do, going forward, and also have those conversations.”

He said he had spoken with the governor and that Branstad supports him and the Regents. But Rastetter stopped short of saying the governor had asked him to serve another term. A reappointment would require confirmation by a two-thirds vote of the Iowa Senate.

Rastetter said he believes he would have support in the Senate but said he has not counted votes. Some Senate Democrats have raised concerns about controversies at the state universities, including questions about the hiring process for University of Iowa President Bruce Herreld, Iowa State University’s handling of questions related to President Steven Leath’s use of university aircraft and potential conflicts of interest involving Rastetter’s business dealings. Rastetter is the CEO of Summit Agricultural Group.

Rastetter’s response to concerns is to point to the regents’ accomplishments.

“We have stopped the funding loss in the Legislature. I can't stop state revenue changes this last year, but we stopped the funding loss. And if you ask Republicans in the House, there is a new, open transparency between the Regents and the House of Representatives,” he said.

“Iowa Press” airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and noon Sunday on Iowa Public Television.