By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

The Board of Regents heard the first reading of proposed tuition increases for the three state schools and approved increases in room and board rates at their meeting today.

“The proposed based undergraduate resident tuition rates include a three-percent increase for the University of Iowa and for Iowa State University. The University of Northern Iowa has proposed a two percent increase for undergraduate residents,” Brad Berg from the Regents office explained the proposal. That amounts to a $270 increase at the UI and ISU, and  $168 dollars at UNI.

“This proposed annual tuition rate for next year is $9,286 at Iowa, $9,252 at Iowa State, and  $8,564 at Northern Iowa,” he says. They are also requesting a 3% increase in mandatory fees at UNI, a 2.5% increase at ISU, and 1.3% increase at the UI. The Board did not take any action on the tuition proposal. Berg says they will have the second an final reading of the proposed rates and will hear from students at their June meeting. The tuition increase comes after the Regents requested  $14.8 million more dollars in state funding and the Legislature approved a $12.3 million increase.

The Board took a final vote on the proposed increase room board rates. The rate for a double room at the University of Iowa is increasing by 4.8%, Iowa State University’s rate is going up 5.8% and there’s a 3.5% increase at the University of Northern Iowa.