(Radio Iowa) — The leaders of Iowa’s three public universities made their budget pitches to Governor Kim Reynolds, Monday. University of Iowa president Bruce Harreld is asking lawmakers to approve seven million dollars in additional financial aid for undergrads who are Iowa residents. “I’m aware, very aware, that I must sound like a broken record as I’m consistently commenting on the need to increase resources to the university,” Harreld said. “…We cannot cut our way to quality.”

University of Northern Iowa president Mark Nook says enrollment at the Cedar Falls school is down, but Nook says tuition and fees average about 25-hundred dollars ABOVE universities around the country that are like U-N-I.  “We don’t have the resources and scholarships and things to compete on the same level with Iowa and Iowa State, so it is impacting our enrollment in a pretty significant way,” Nook says. Nook is asking lawmakers for a four million dollar budget boost for U-N-I in each of the next five years.

Iowa State University president Wendy Winterstein says her staff has combed through this year’s budget and reallocated 12 million in spending. “Iowa State is proud to be recognized for our lean organizational structure, but we can’t continue to deliver excellence on efficiencies alone,” Winterstein says. “New resources are needed to be able to assure that we can continue to fulfill our land grant mission and serve the state.”

Winterstein is also asking the governor and the legislature to send I-S-U seven MILLION more state tax dollars for student financial aid. The president of the board that governs the three universities says ensuring tuition is affordable makes a college degree accessible for more Iowans.