(Radio Iowa) – A House panel has advanced a budget plan that includes three MILLION dollars for an initiative at the University of Northern Iowa. Republican Representative Austin Harris of Moulton is chairman of the House subcommittee that develops the annual state spending bill that includes money for higher education.

“The University of Northern of Iowa is looking to boost their student population,” Harris said. “Something that other states have done that has had some success in recruiting students from out of state is offer in-state tuition.” U-N-I administrators propose charging students from the six states that surround Iowa the same, lower tuition rate Iowa residents pay. The three million dollars would replace the money those out-of-state students would pay if they were charged the higher tuition rate for residents of other states.

The same spending package includes an eight MILLION dollar boost in state support of Iowa’s 15 community colleges. Democrats say that’s encouraging, but they’re concerned general state support of Iowa’s three public universities falls far short. Representative Elinor Levin is a Democrat from Iowa City.

“I am just concerned to see so many status quo line items, especially in a year when we saw such a high rate of inflation,” Levin said, “when costs are going up at 4% to 5% in a year and there’s no increase reflected.” And Levin says while there is money in the budget for literacy programs in early elementary grades, there should be more dedicated to train teachers in the best methods for improving the reading skills of their students.