Iowa's public universities are seeking Iowa Board of Regents approval to request flat state funding for the upcoming fiscal year. (Photos by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch; logo via Iowa Board of Regents)
State universities are once again asking for no increase in general university funding for the upcoming fiscal year, with the University of Iowa and Iowa State University staying the course they ran last year and the University of Northern Iowa falling in line with them after their requested raise was denied last legislative session.
If their requests are approved by the Iowa Board of Regents at its Sept. 18 meeting and honored by the state, the UI would receive nearly $223.5 million, ISU would receive more than $178.4 million and UNI would receive close to $101.9 million, totaling more than $503.8 million, all in general university funding for fiscal year 2027.
Both the UI and ISU requested flat general university funding for fiscal year 2026, which they received, but UNI requested $2.5 million in incremental funding to differentiate its tuition from more research-focused universities. UNI did not receive any additional funding.
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According to the appropriations request report, the state's public universities enrolled more than 70,000 students in total, more than 40% of whom came from outside of the state. The universities hand out a combined amount of around 13,000 bachelor degrees and 4,400 graduate and professional degrees each year.
"State funding for Regent higher education is a vital resource to attract students by keeping tuition affordable and allows the Regent universities to offer an extensive array of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in support of Iowa workforce needs," the report stated.
Funding increase requests aim at health care, agriculture ed
While universities requested no increases to general university dollars for the upcoming fiscal year, each institution asked for specific initiative funding that the report stated "represent a 1.5% increase in appropriations from the state general fund for each university."
The University of Iowa is requesting $3.6 million to address the state's shortage of rural physicians and train more doctors in rural medicine, according to the document. These dollars would go toward recruiting and retaining rural students studying medicine, developing a rural medicine track for medical students with "specialized curriculum and training" and form a statewide teaching network for expanded clinical training in rural areas.
Funds would also help support scholarships for students "dedicated to rural medicine" and grow the number of students graduating with advanced training in rural medicine. Currently five students each year leave the UI with this training, the document stated, and the university would like to increase that to 10 annually.
According to the report, 65 Iowa counties are categorized as "Health Professional Shortage Areas, and rural regions of the state house around 17% fewer doctors per capita than urban regions.
"The university's rural physician program is proven to place physicians where they're needed most, ensuring better health outcomes for underserved communities while reducing long-term healthcare costs," the document stated.
Iowa State University is asking for a total of $3.6 million for a few different programs, some of which the university stated in the report it hopes to bring under the umbrella of its general university appropriations.
The Ames university proposed in the report that its Agriculture Experiment Station, Cooperative Extension Service and STEM workforce initiatives merge with the general university line item for appropriations requests and allocations, as they align with the university's overall mission to provide "high-quality education, cutting-edge research and public service for Iowans."
The bulk of requested funding for fiscal year 2027, to the tune of $3 million, would go to the Iowa Ag Tech Innovation Initiative, which the report states is "a strategic commitment to the future of Iowa farms, rural communities and statewide economy."
ISU's agricultural experiment station would receive $1.8 million of that funding to develop programming and support staff and faculty aimed at agricultural technology, like artificial intelligence, automation advanced sensing and more. The board document stated work from experts at ISU will result in improved practices and systems for increased efficiency and better data.
The report also included outcomes the university expects to come from the new focus on agricultural technology, including livestock production programs with improved efficiency and animal health and well-being and grain handling and processing programs that focus on safety, quality management and its uses in energy and livestock industries.
They would also target the corn and soybean industry with new systems that "emphasize system efficiency, integrated decision-making and linkages between agronomic machinery, inputs and harvest in key areas of crop productivity, nutrient-use efficiency, genetics, plant health and soil health," according to the document.
ISU's cooperative extension services would use $1.2 million of the requested funding to form new programs and expand existing outreach opportunities in order to bring "ag-tech innovations" to people across the state and teach on how they can be utilized to improve their work. Efforts would focus on nutrient and pest management, livestock management and AI workforce development in agriculture.
"Iowa remains a national leader in agricultural output, but continued long-term success depends on constantly improving the ability to innovate and adapt in the competitive global environment," the report stated. "Iowa's rural economy depends on agricultural research and innovation to maintain global competitiveness, but the full potential of innovation cannot be attained without education and adoption."
ISU will also seek $600,000 for its veterinary diagnostic laboratory to supplement the $300,000 funding increase the state provided in fiscal year 2026 and provide additional support as the lab moves testing operations to a new facility that will increase annual operational expenses for the lab by around $3 million.
The University of Northern Iowa is seeking funding to expand recently launched programs, namely its nursing degree and neighboring state tuition initiative.
Launched in fall 2024 with a cohort of 24 students, UNI requested in the board document $600,000 for its baccalaureate degree in nursing in order to expand the program. Funding would go toward hiring additional faculty and staff and equipment purchases for students.
UNI is also asking for $1 million for its neighboring state tuition program, which was previously set to receive state funding last year before Gov. Kim Reynolds line-item vetoed the $1.5 million allocation due to an expectation of ongoing funding and questions about its impact on current students.
The Cedar Falls university launched the program with funding from its foundation in July, allowing students coming from Iowa's six bordering states to pay in-state tuition starting in the 2025-2026 school year.
"Over 40% of UNI graduates from the states contiguous to Iowa stay in the state after graduation, joining Iowa's workforce and adding value to Iowa's economic development," the document stated. "Not only will this funding open access to programs for students from the states contiguous to Iowa, but it will also increase enrollment of undergraduates ready to join the Iowa workforce upon graduation."
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