Jan 06, 2022

2022 Iowa Legislative Session Begins Next Monday

The 89th Iowa General Assembly will gavel into session Monday, January 10, at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Once again we will need your help to ensure that a UNI education remains affordable for Iowa students and their families.

As you know, at UNI we are focused on preparing graduates for Iowa’s future workforce. One of the most distinctive benefits of UNI is that our graduates stay in Iowa. According to UNI’s First Destination Survey, 85% of UNI graduates from Iowa stay in the state to work after earning their degrees, and half of our non-resident graduates remain in Iowa to contribute to our workforce. UNI’s high job placement rates in Iowa is a strong return on the state’s investment.

We are asking you to help us this legislative session. Every voice makes a difference. You can find your local state senator and state representative at this link. Please share your UNI story and ask them to support our funding requests.

UNI is committed to student success and upholding our public charge to be open and accessible. Our budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2023 of an additional $4 million investment from the state will enable us to increase enrollment by keeping tuition and fees affordable and competitive while providing a high-quality education. The FY 2023 state appropriations request is to support UNI’s focus on preparing Iowa’s future-ready workforce.

In partnership with Iowa’s community colleges, UNI is also proposing easing the process for adult and place-bound learners to move from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree, which studies show increases earnings over their lifetime. UNI is developing partnerships with Iowa community colleges to bring greater access to a four-year degree. A new $1.6 million state appropriation request will help solidify these partnerships into the future. The goal of UNI@IACC (Iowa Community Colleges) is to remove barriers and provide adult and place-bound learners access to affordable, high-quality pathways to Iowa's in-demand careers. The overwhelming majority of this request is planned for student scholarships.

Additional FY 2023 legislative budget requests:

•   $6.35 million for STEM education
•   $1.1 million for economic development
•   $900,000 from the Regents Innovation Fund
•   $394,321 for UNI’s additive manufacturing
•   $172,768 for the recycling and reuse center
•   $123,523 for real estate education

We are grateful for your willingness to support UNI’s positive impact on Iowa.