University of Iowa student leaders to focus on affordability, workforce development

College affordability and workforce development for graduates who want to stay in Iowa are the top issues University of Iowa student leaders want to focus on this year.

Student government leaders representing UI undergraduates and graduate and professional students last week met with Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to discuss those topics, and in the coming weeks will travel the state to visit with about 15 legislators regarding the issues.

The tuition freeze for 2013-14 for in-state undergraduates, made possible by a 2.6 percent increase in state appropriations to the UI, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, was much appreciated, and student leaders would like to see another freeze next year, if possible, with the appropriate level of state support, said Katherine Valde, UI undergraduate student body president.

"We're telling everyone how that really modest increase in appropriations can lead to big savings," said Valde, 21, a senior in political science and history from Coralville. "It saves students a few hundred dollars every year. That can make a difference for a lot of people, to buy textbooks or pay rent."

The student leaders also discussed workforce development with Branstad, and ways the state can build a pipeline to connect graduates of Iowa universities to in-state job opportunities, said Ben Gillig, president of the UI graduate and professional student body.

As the Iowa workforce ages, the state needs more graduates to stay in Iowa and take jobs in health care, law, medicine, pharmacy and other professions, said Gillig, 26, a doctoral student in educational policy.

"I've come to this realization that although we want these things to happen, oftentimes we haven't set up really good ways to ask people to stay," he said. "We need to be explicit about giving people opportunities and asking them to stay in Iowa when they graduate."

There could be a state database that informs new graduates about work opportunities around the state, such as when doctors and lawyers in small towns retire, Gillig said. Another idea is to provide incentives, such as tax breaks or a deduction for student loan repayment, for young professionals who stay in Iowa, he said.

"There are so many different ways in which graduates from all three universities can contribute to the state," Gillig said.

This is the second year the UI student government leaders will travel the state to visit legislators in their home districts for the "legislative road trip," the students said.