Community college leaders spoke with Iowa lawmakers Monday about funding for the college system and other programs. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa community college leaders told lawmakers Monday they’re hoping to build on progress made last year in providing colleges equitable funding and ensure continued support of statewide programs that help both colleges and students.
Community Colleges for Iowa is asking the Legislature for a $12 million, or 5%, increase in funding for the upcoming year, Community Colleges for Iowa Executive Director Emily Shields told members of the Iowa House Higher Education Subcommittee during its Monday meeting.
The organization’s request for state allocations is higher this session than in the past, Shields said, as there are still inequities between colleges that need to be addressed.
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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill last year giving community college presidents and chancellors control over the formula that calculates how many dollars will go to each college. Community colleges advocated for this legislation, saying it would help address problems of certain institutions being over-funded while others are under-funded.
This year, half of state funds will be disbursed through the old formula and the remaining half will go to five colleges that have been on the lower end of the funding spectrum and need more support.
“Part of what the presidents have approved (while) working with each other is getting some additional funds to those five colleges on a short-term basis to help make up for some of that, while we also work on a new formula that will be more responsive to changes in enrollment,” Shields said.
Even if the community college network does not receive an additional $12 million in state funding, Shields confirmed the 50/50 split in dollars would still occur.
Matt Thompson, president of Indian Hills Community College, said his institution was one of the “winning colleges” under the old formula. Working with colleges across the state, he said, they’ve been able to come up with a solution when some thought it would be impossible.
“I would just thank the Legislature for allowing us to come to the table with a solution so that we could work through and correct the inequity that has started to exist in our funding,” Thompson said.
Other priorities for Community Colleges for Iowa include continued support from the Legislature for scholarships and other educational support programs, Shields said.
The organization is hoping for continued funding for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship program, she said, and would like lawmakers to consider changing its income limit, as the program has been underspent by as much as $7 million. Changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA are impacting the program in ways that aren’t entirely clear yet, and Shields said it would be something important for the Legislature to consider in the future.
While the education appropriations committee doesn’t oversee this program, Shields said Community Colleges for Iowa is also seeking an increase in funding for the Workforce Training and Economic Development Fund, as it is an important source of funding for workforce training, especially career and technical education.
Shields said career and technical education is the most expensive aspect of community college operations, and money from this fund helps keep popular programs open while also offering region- and student-specific support in some cases. The fund helped revitalize Indian Hills Community College’s Centerville campus with a new, 66,000 square-foot facility for career and technical education.
Thompson said he believes community colleges across Iowa feel supported by their Legislature, and he hopes lawmakers can help the network bridge its remaining equity gap through increased funding, and support colleges in Iowa.
“Let’s get this done so that we can be in a much better place and healthier as a system overall,” Thompson said.
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