A new bill moving through the Iowa state legislature is taking the spotlight as many are wondering how it can alter the future of Iowa universities.
With tuition costs on the rise, the state of Iowa is looking to enforce a bill that will freeze all state public universities tuition for in-state applicants for the next five years. The bill will completely alter how students go about thinking about college decisions.
Students will now have to weigh the stability that the bill offers with other school benefits as well. This could lead to a drastic increase in students attending Iowa state schools as many families not looking to be hit with inflation costs grasp at the newfound opportunity.
Junior Mahi Choudhary is heavily considering going to an Iowa university in the future. Hearing about the bill further pushed Choudhary in that direction. “Freezing tuition would be a major factor in considering what school I would choose because I know I want to go to law school and considering things like student debt is very important to me,” Choudhary states.
Although the bill seems perfect for incoming students, the harsh reality shows that it may lead to serious budgeting issues. In order to maintain the tuition rates, schools are wondering where the money will be cut from. Faculty, support services, and sports may all see the impact of budget cuts. The bill will cost these state universities millions in revenue. To make up for the loss, they may even rely on out of state students more to make up for the difference, increasing both cost and acceptance rate for out of state students.
Despite these concerns many are still in support of the bill, and the Iowa House has already passed it. As the bill is proposed to the Senate, in-state students can only hold their breath in anticipation for the ruling.
University of Iowa commit Nick Mall is waiting in anticipation for the ruling on the bill. Being directly impacted by the outcomes of the bill, Malli shares his support. “If the bill were to be passed it will help students that may not have the means to afford education with the security of knowing that unforeseen costs will not arise. Personally, for me I hope that the bill is passed because it will ensure the possibility of attending college for the next four years,” Senior Nick Malli states.
Whether the bill passes or not, one thing becomes certain. With the rising costs of college in America, many find it hard to afford a higher education without going into extreme debt. Affordability matters to Americans, and this bill might be a step in the right direction to making it a possibility.
