Vander Linden Votes for Tuition Freeze for Iowa Students

Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa)

(DES MOINES) – Tuesday, the Iowa House debated Senate File 2347 which funds the state’s education budget. This bill contains funding for Iowa’s community colleges, state universities, and the Iowa Tuition Grant, amongst other things. Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa) supported the bill which included the funding necessary to freeze tuition for in-state students at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.

The bill increased funding at all three state universities; $4.5 million in additional money for the University of Iowa, $6.9 million more for Iowa State University and $7.7 million more for the University of Northern Iowa. The Board of Regents has requested $19.2 million for a tuition freeze.

“The work our state universities and community colleges do to educate Iowa students is second to none,” said Vander Linden. “As the cost of college continues to rise, a tuition freeze goes a long way to ensure Iowa’s students can afford to go to college without incurring debt.”

Senate File 2347 also included an $8 million funding increase for Iowa’s community colleges. The bill passed the House in a bipartisan manner and sent to the Senate for their consideration.