Legislative Updates Archive 2002-2003
The Office of Governmental Relations provides legislative updates to the campus community through online communication and bimonthly campus presentations. These updates will inform faculty, staff and students of hot topics facing the legislature and legislative actions affecting UNI and the Regents institutions
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Iowa Values Fund
With the failure of the legislature to pass the Iowa Values Fund in the regular session, a special session of the legislature was held on May 29. The original version of the Iowa Values Fund passed by the House in the regular session contained an $810 million bonding program for economic development. This fund includes a $50 million plan to improve the commercialization of research at state universities. The Senate was unable to pass this plan in the regular session and in the special session passed a scaled down Iowa Values Bill. The compromise contained a $503 million Grow Iowa Values Fund that consists of five main components: business development and assistance, university research and development, workforce training, quality of life, and school infrastructure. The goals of this fund are to help move and grow Iowa?s economy, create jobs, and help generate wealth for Iowans. The Regent universities will get $25 million of the Grow Iowa Values Fund. Of the $25 million, UNI will receive $5 million to maximize the university?s intellectual property. It is expected that UNI will use this money to create an Innovation Accelerator and Business Park on campus. The goal of this center will be to leverage the intellectual capital generated on campus, provide a place for newly formed companies in the Cedar Valley to grow, and provide students a place to launch their own small businesses.
June 19, Governor Vilsack signed a portion of the bills into law to create the Iowa Values Fund, leaving the $25 million intact for the Regent universities. However, he did line item veto certain provisions of both bills, mostly dealing with Iowa?s taxation and regulatory structures. Republican leaders will challenge his line item vetoes in court creating uncertainty for the future of the Iowa Values Fund.
posted by Stacey # 2:29 PM
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Legislative special session
The 2003 legislative session adjourned Thursday, May 1, with unfinished business. A special legislative session will be called this month to discuss the Iowa Values Fund, an $810 million bonding program for economic development. This fund includes a $50 million plan to improve the commercialization of research at state universities. The Iowa Values Fund passed the House but failed to get action in the Senate. Without Senate approval, UNI's Innovation Accelerator and Business Park Proposal, and the Cedar Valley TechWorks proposal, would be in jeopardy.
UNI's operating budget was cut approximately $5.5 million during this legislative session. This includes underfunding of salaries.
posted by Stacey # 10:40 AM
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Cedar Valley TechWorks
Cedar Valley TechWorks is a proposed economic development project to promote Iowa as an agricultural-based state. It would be funded through the proposed Iowa values fund and some potential federal and private money. Legislative approval for the Iowa Values Fund would benefit the University of Northern Iowa and the Cedar Valley. President Koob has been UNI?s key spokesperson for the project. The purpose of the project is to market bio-products and provide business incubator space for bioproducts companies.
Cedar Valley TechWorks would be located in several renovated buildings at the John Deere?s Westfield site in downtown Waterloo. The buildings would feature a merchandise mart for marketing value-added agricultural products; an education center for continuing education of industry professionals and the general public in the development and use of bio-based products; a workforce training and retraining center; and an ag-tourism exhibit center.
UNI?s Ag Based Industrial Lubricants Research Program (ABIL) may participate in the Cedar Valley TechWorks proposal to work with emerging agribusinesses. UNI?s involvement will benefit the Cedar Valley?s economic growth and shows the value of continued private/public partnerships. Partners include UNI, Deere Company, the City of Waterloo, the Cedar Valley Economic Development Corporation, Waterloo Development Corporation, and Hawkeye Community College. The Iowa Values Fund is being debated at the State Capitol this week.
posted by Stacey # 2:44 PM
Regent Universities Cut Again
In an attempt to save jobs and curb state spending, the Iowa Legislature passed the Reinvention of Government bill. This bill eliminates $128 million from state budgets and transforms Iowa?s property taxes. The Legislature agreed that the regent universities should not bear a larger share of budget cuts than other parts of state government. As a result, the regent system suffered $17.9 million in reductions in the Reinvention of Government bill, of which nearly $3 million will be from UNI.
Also, the regent universities agreed to no state salary funding for fiscal year 2004, in exchange for the restoration of $25 million in the education appropriations budget. Bottom line, regent universities essentially experienced two budget reductions this session. Regent employees will still receive salary increases under the latest negotiated contract.
In other news, UNI will receive $1.4 million in state infrastructure money. This money will be used for the continued renovation plans for Gilchrist Hall. The Legislative session is scheduled to end Friday, May 2.
posted by Stacey # 2:22 PM
Friday, April 18, 2003
Iowa Values Fund Proposal
State legislators unveiled a $890 million Iowa Values Fund proposal that includes $50 million for university research and development. Regent universities and independent colleges could apply to the Iowa Values Board for money to finance business incubators, plant and animal facilities and other initiatives. At least $5 million has been earmarked for the University of Northern Iowa. This money would be used toward the proposed UNI Innovation Accelerator and Business Park.
The proposed UNI Innovation Accelerator and Business Park would promote synergy between UNI, the Cedar Valley, communities and the state by transferring innovations into commercialization. The new facilities would include incubation and acceleration facilities to house up to 20 early stage companies from the public and private sectors. Tenants of the innovation accelerator would have access to business-related services like support staff, office equipment and machinery, and broadband technology access combined with a beta technology lab. The student incubator portion of the UNI Innovation Accelerator would provide 10 office areas, an innovation lab, equipment and business counseling for student-owned business ventures.
posted by Stacey # 4:02 PM
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Regent Universities Spared $25 Million Budget Cut
Last week, Representatives Willard Jenkins and Ervin Dennis convinced legislators that the Regent universities could not sustain further budget cuts. Legislators agreed to restore the proposed $25 million budget cut in the education appropriations budget, and agreed that the Regent universities would not bear a larger share of additional budget cuts than other parts of state government. In exchange, universities agreed not to ask for any salary money for fiscal year 2004. Regent employees will still receive salary increases under the latest negotiated contract. Regent universities will have to pay for the salary increases from their general operating budgets, essentially a budget cut to the universities. The upside is that the universities budget cuts will be lower than anticipated earlier in the session. It is anticipated the education appropriations budget will pass through the Senate later this week.
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Joint Education Appropriations Subcommittee Targets State Universities
The Joint Education Legislative Appropriations Subcommittee passed its fiscal year 2004 appropriations budget out of committee. The House Appropriations Committee will now vote on the budget. The Board of Regents would suffer a 4 percent cut, an approximate $26 million reduction. As a result, UNI would have to cut $3.6 million from its operating budget. This is on top of $16.5 million reductions the last two years.
Ninety-one percent of the cuts in the joint education appropriations budget are targeted to the Board of Regents.
Monday, March 10, 2003
The Republican leadership released their budget targets. The Republicans are proposing a nearly $4.5 billion general fund budget for Fiscal Year 2004, approximately $115 million less than the governor recommended.
Regarding education, the Republicans recommend nearly $895 million for education--$29 million less than the governor?s proposal. The education budget does not fund work study. It also does not replace the $25 million borrowed from one-time funds to partially fund last year?s regent universities salary increases.
It is also very unlikely that the regent institutions will receive full funding of salaries for Fiscal Year 2004. When the legislature passes unfunded mandates, such as the salary bill, it forces universities to use tuition money to pay the salary mandates. What is the potential impact for the regent universities, specifically UNI? Funds would likely be taken from general university operating budgets to pay the obligatory salary increases. As a result, UNI may be forced to continue delaying building and maintenance repairs, not fill faculty positions and continue to decrease enrollment. Legislative budget subcommittees will resume meeting next week and the proposals will be debated.
Monday, March 03, 2003
Monday, February 17, 2003
February 13 ? The regent presidents testified before the joint Education Appropriations subcommittee. Each president delivered an overview and addressed questions and misperceptions about budget cuts and tuition increases.
The big legislative buzz this week centered on a $2 billion plan unveiled by the Iowa Farm Bureau. The plan involves the state imposing a statewide property tax and taking over responsibility for all tax-increment financing districts in the state. The plan would replace the governor?s Iowa Values Fund and create a mechanism for financing K-12 infrastructure. The proposal is to transform $4.1 billion in unfocused resources into a focused $2 billion plan. It will be debated during this legislative session.
Wednesday, February 05, 2003
President Koob will give an overview of UNI. He will give a brief overview of UNI's mission, graduates in professional services, participation in civil and community service organizations, and the benefits of UNI to Iowa's economy. Each of the three university presidents will present information about the educational, research and outreach value of the institutions to the state.
Monday, February 03, 2003
Operations:
The Governor is recommending $82,228,033 for UNI's base budget. This is $2 million less than what the Board of Regents requested for UNI but it does included backfilling of one-time salary money that was used to balance last year's budget.
Economic Development:
The Governor is recommending $370,555 for UNI. This amount is used to fund the Institute for Decision Making and the Metal Casting Center. This is a $26,303 increase over the last fiscal year and is exclusive of UNI's potential involvement in the outreach component of the Governor's life sciences initiative.
Capitals:
No new funding for new capital projects was recommended. UNI?s top two requests are for deferred maintenance and significant renovation and repair to UNI's electrical distribution system. However, the Governor recommends continued funding for the UNI Steam Tunnel Project ($4,390,000) and the Innovative Teaching Center ($6,490,000).
Other:
-The Governor recommended reinstating the state portion of the Work Study Program at $2.7 million.
-The Governor recommended a zero percent loan program for Iowa students who state in Iowa for five years following graduation.
-The Governor also recommended an Iowa Learns Council to make K-16 recommendations to help transform Iowa's economy.
Please remember these are the Governor?s recommendations. Now legislators will work in committees to further determine the outcome of the state budget proposal. To view the Governor's budget proposal click here.
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
January 17, UNI's Business and Community Services staffed a display at the State Capitol as part of the Governor's Open House.
January 30 and February 4, Randy Pilkington, Director of UNI's Business and Community Services will be discussing with state legislators UNI's business and community outreach services.
February 4, UNI Alumni Legislative Breakfast, 7:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m., State Capitol.
February 12, Cedar Valley Day in Des Moines, with a reception for legislators at the Embassy Suites, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Faculty and staff interested in becoming more active in UNI's grassroots efforts can join UNITE, UNI Together for Education, a legislative grassroots network of alumni and friends of the university. Please call Stacey Christensen, 319-273-3170 for further information.
Monday, January 27, 2003
2003 State Legislative Issues
The 80th session of the Iowa General Assembly will convene January 13. A major focus of this year?s legislative session will center around the state?s estimated $400 million budget deficit. Legislators will be challenged to find funds for many state programs. The state?s built-in spending increases are approximately $400 million with $81 million in new revenues and $76 million earmarked to pay back funds last year. As a result, lawmakers will have just $5 million in new money to fund requests. With prisons, schools, universities and community colleges requesting more money, the legislature will have to establish priorities. Other major issues facing legislators include tax cuts v. tax increases, sentencing reform to deal with Iowa?s overcrowded prison system, Iowa?s drunken driving laws, Medicaid, and economic development to name a few.
Capitol News
For a comprehensive listing of all representatives and senators, committees and chairs visit http://www.legis.state.ia.us. This site will provide you the most up-to-date information about committee meetings, events at the Capitol and major bills.
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Last Updated January 31, 2007