Gov. Kim Reynolds is backing a plan to charge students from the six states that surround Iowa the same lower tuition rate Iowa residents pay at the University of Northern Iowa.
UNI President Mark Nook said it’s “a creative approach” to one of the state’s challenges.
“We’ve got to find a way to grow the number of workers in this state, and that means grow the population,” Nook said during an Iowa House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing Monday.
Between 45-50% of UNI graduates end up taking a job in Iowa, and Nook said the university is offering degrees in workforce shortages areas, like nursing.
About 450 current students at UNI come from the six states that surround Iowa. Nook estimated that once a new batch of out-of-state students paying in-state tuition graduate, up to 300 of them would take a job in Iowa each year.
“They’re each leaving us $10,000 in tuition for four years and $10,000 in room and board, whether it’s to us — UNI — or to private rental properties in Cedar Falls. While they’re being educated, they will leave $54 million in the Iowa economy every single year.”
Reynolds is recommending the Legislature provide the school with $3 million a year to replace the proposed reduction in out-of-state tuition.