From Rep. Sharon Steckman –
Thank you to all that attended the Medicaid Privatization forum yesterday. It was an excellent discussion and testimonies from those trying to deal with privatization of Medicaid. Heartbreaking stories! Jeremy Mc Grath (pictured) discussed issues surrounding payments to the only ambulance service in Chickasaw county.
College Students Back on Campus
An estimated 300,000 students will be heading back to school at Iowa’s three state universities, 15 community colleges, and 37 non-profit private colleges this month.
At the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa, students from Iowa will pay at least an additional $250 in tuition for undergraduate classes, business and engineering students will see an increase of $500 to $800. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition at the University of Iowa will increase by $400.
Iowa graduates already accumulate one of the highest debts to go to college in the country, and this will more than likely increase that problem. The tuition increase came after the House Majority only approved a $6.3 million increase in state funds last session for all of the State universities to operate under next year, well short of the $20.3 million needed to maintain a tuition freeze.
In addition, the Iowa Board of Regents, which governs the three state universities, is under new scrutiny this week after taking more than $3.6 million from the universities to cover a shortfall in expenses for the board’s central office.
For the first time in two years, the Legislature also increased funding to community colleges by $3 million next year. While the additional dollars will likely prevent a large tuition increase this fall, Iowa already has the third highest community college tuition of the Midwest states.
Iowa College Programs Work to Reduce Student Debt
Recent legislative tours of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and Grandview College highlighted programs that have been effective in reducing student debt. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, Iowa ranks 8th in the country in the amount of average debt students graduate with. Iowa students statewide currently average $29,732 in debt upon graduation.
GV Complete
Grandview’s program, called GV Complete, provides financial counseling with specific estimated costs for each year of attendance. Participating students are guaranteed a fixed tuition increase of 2% annually and academic advising to ensure graduation within four years.
As a result, the class of 2020 will have an average debt of just over $29,000 for this private college, while the average debt of the class of 2014 was over $38,000.
UNI’s Live Like a Student
The Live Like a Student program at UNI will be starting its seventh year and has also achieved great results. The program is credited for helping UNI students reduce their average student loan debt by 13%, bucking the national trend.
Students gain a greater understanding of how their actions today will affect their financial future. The course teaches students how to budget effectively and manage financial goals. The programming includes non¬credit classes, small group workshops and financial counseling, all of which work to break down the complexities of financial aid, student loans, credit reports and credit cards.
Your right – the board of regents are fat fat fat cats — google them – they each make more than the president of the United States.
Don’t know if i who posted the 10:28 post but whoever it was has a comprehension problem. No where does this mention the k-12 funding. The NEA has 3.2 million members. Less than 1/2 0f 1% of those are in higher education. The state allocates money to the universities in this state so that they can keep their doors open. In case you didn’t know, in our changing world, this is important. Community colleges provide training for students in many fields-from HVAC, farming, mechanics, health care workers, etc. These people are vital if this country is going to continue to advance. Colleges and universities train people in many of the same areas but also doctors, dentists, business, veterinary, technology and administrative areas to mention a few. Once again, vital people. Running a business costs money and those costs keep rising. Running a college, university or community college costs money and those cost also keep rising. If you want a nation of lower educated people who can’t keep up universally with the changes in technology, then by all means cut funding to higher education. Who needs college anyway? Look at the number of people on this site who don’t have a degree and you might see who needs college. It is not for everyone, I know, but it is extremely important to our country.
By the way, did you read the part about the Board of Regents taking $3.6 million from the university to cover costs at their central office? Do you know that Bruce Rastetter, the head of the BOR, was appointed by Terry Branstad shortly after he gave over $100,000 to Terry’s re-election campaign? Did you also know that Rastetter, along with Branstad, have been named as advisors to Donald Trump’s Iowa campaign? And that Terry’s son, Eric Branstad, is the head of Trump’s Iowa campaign?
The teachers union says it’s for the kids – Pizzed off that the national teachers unions endorsed Lieing Hillary Clinton — They must be short circuited -but then it’s all about money – f the kids.
Cancel the Amber Alert…… LVS has returned, that’s his comment above. He goes by Anonymous now, hes in the witness protection program and is attempting to conceal his real identity. Busted!
Not me you dumb ass. Keep on trying. I never use the F——. Damn, you are ignorant.
My apologies. You are absolutely right and I stand corrected. Let’s hope that the annoying old ankle biter is soon caught and impounded.
🙂