Senate File 189 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY ANGELO, WARD, SEYMOUR, ZAUN,
McKINLEY, McKIBBEN, GASKILL,
HAHN, JOHNSON, and WIECK
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to tuition rates at state universities by
2 providing resident status to the children of alumni and by
3 creating a college costs predictability program to be
4 administered by the state board of regents.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 1719XS 82
7 kh/es/88
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 262.9, subsection 23, Code 2007, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 23. Develop a policy and adopt rules relating to the
1 4 establishment of tuition rates which provide a predictable
1 5 basis for assessing and anticipating changes in providing that
1 6 any person who does not meet the residency requirements
1 7 established by the board for tuition and fee purposes, but
1 8 whose parents both graduated from an institution of higher
1 9 education governed by the board, shall be considered a
1 10 resident of the state for tuition rates and fee purposes.
1 11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 262.34C COLLEGE COSTS
1 12 PREDICTABILITY PROGRAM.
1 13 1. A college costs predictability program is created to be
1 14 administered by the state board of regents for purposes of
1 15 providing predictability in college tuition and fee costs
1 16 throughout a resident freshman's full=time pursuit of an
1 17 undergraduate degree at an institution of higher learning
1 18 under the control of the board.
1 19 2. By December 1 annually, the board shall establish for
1 20 each institution of higher learning under its control, a fixed
1 21 rate tuition and fee plan for the following school year for
1 22 resident first=time freshmen who enroll full=time in an
1 23 undergraduate degree program. If a student continues to meet
1 24 grade expectations established by rule by the board, the plan
1 25 shall be in effect for the student until the student graduates
1 26 with an undergraduate degree. While the plan is in effect for
1 27 a student, the institution shall charge not more than the
1 28 tuition and fee rate established in the tuition and fee plan
1 29 at the time the student enrolled as a freshman. The average
1 30 annual rate of growth of the tuition and fees established by
1 31 the board for the fixed rate tuition plan shall not exceed the
1 32 percentage increase in the most recently published higher
1 33 education price index.
1 34 3. If the tuition and fees established by the board for
1 35 the fixed rate tuition and fee plan for the next academic year
2 1 are less than the tuition and fees charged under the current
2 2 or a prior academic year's fixed rate tuition and fee plan,
2 3 the board shall lower the tuition and fees charged under the
2 4 current or prior fixed rate tuition plans which are in effect
2 5 to the same rates established under the fixed rate tuition and
2 6 fee plan for the next academic year.
2 7 4. If a full=time resident student transfers from one
2 8 institution of higher learning under the control of the board
2 9 to another such institution, the institution to which the
2 10 student transfers shall charge the student an amount for
2 11 tuition and fees that does not exceed the amount the student
2 12 was charged when the student enrolled as a first=time freshman
2 13 at the previous institution.
2 14 5. The plan shall continue in effect for a student who, as
2 15 a result of a hardship or other good cause shown, is unable to
2 16 meet grade expectations as a full=time student in accordance
2 17 with subsection 2, even if the student must suspend enrollment
2 18 or attend part=time. For purposes of this subsection,
2 19 hardship or other good cause includes a showing of at least
2 20 one of the following:
2 21 a. A severe illness or other debilitating condition that
2 22 affects the student's ability to satisfy the academic and
2 23 attendance requirements of the institution at which the
2 24 student enrolled.
2 25 b. The student's responsibility for the care of a sick,
2 26 injured, or needy person if the provision of care affects the
2 27 student's ability to satisfy the academic and attendance
2 28 requirements of the institution at which the student enrolled.
2 29 c. The student is unable to complete a degree program as a
2 30 full=time student because a course is unavailable due to a
2 31 lack of available classes or class space.
2 32 d. The student, with the approval of the institution,
2 33 changes the student's major or degree program and needs
2 34 additional time to complete an undergraduate degree in the new
2 35 major or degree program.
3 1 Sec. 3. TRANSITIONAL PROVISION. A resident full=time
3 2 student enrolled in an institution of higher learning under
3 3 the control of the state board of regents during the 2007=2008
3 4 academic year shall be allowed to participate in the fixed
3 5 rate tuition and fee plan established by the board in
3 6 accordance with section 262.34C for resident first=time
3 7 freshmen who enroll full=time in an undergraduate degree
3 8 program during the 2008=2009 academic year and shall be
3 9 considered a first=time freshman for purposes of the plan.
3 10 EXPLANATION
3 11 This bill creates a college costs predictability program to
3 12 be administered by the state board of regents for purposes of
3 13 providing predictability in college tuition and fee costs
3 14 throughout a resident freshman's full=time pursuit of an
3 15 undergraduate degree at a regents university. The bill also
3 16 requires the board to adopt rules to confer resident status,
3 17 for purposes of determining tuition rates, on the child of
3 18 parents who both graduated from a state university regardless
3 19 of whether the child meets the residency requirements.
3 20 The board is directed to establish, by December 1 annually,
3 21 for each state university, a fixed rate tuition and fee plan.
3 22 While the plan is in effect for a student, the institution
3 23 shall charge not more than the tuition and fee rate
3 24 established in the tuition and fee plan at the time the
3 25 student enrolled as a freshman. If a student continues to
3 26 meet grade expectations established by rule by the board, the
3 27 plan shall be in effect for the student until the student
3 28 graduates with an undergraduate degree.
3 29 The average annual rate of growth of the tuition and fees
3 30 established by the board for the fixed rate tuition plan
3 31 cannot exceed the percentage increase in the most recently
3 32 published higher education price index. If the tuition and
3 33 fees for the next academic year's plan are less than a current
3 34 or prior year's plan, the board must lower the rates charged
3 35 under the current or prior year's plan to the rates
4 1 established for the next academic year.
4 2 Provision is made for students who transfer from one state
4 3 university to another, and for students who, as a result of a
4 4 hardship or other good cause shown, are unable to remain
4 5 continuously enrolled as a full=time student. Hardship and
4 6 good cause include showings of severe illness or other
4 7 debilitating condition; a responsibility to care for a sick,
4 8 injured, or needy person; unavailability of classes or class
4 9 space; and a university=approved change in majors or degree
4 10 programs.
4 11 The bill includes transitional language to permit resident
4 12 students currently enrolled in state universities to be
4 13 considered first=time freshmen for purposes of the plan
4 14 established for the next academic year.
4 15 LSB 1719XS 82
4 16 kh:nh/es/88.2