Senate passes bill giving UNI more funding

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Senate has passed a measure that gives the University of Northern Iowa $4 million more than the University of Iowa and Iowa State University in general state support.

Democrats supporting the proposal say the school has about 90 percent of in-state students. That leaves UNI fewer out-of-state students to pay higher tuition to fund operations.

The measure is part of a larger bill that provides funding for several organizations receiving state funding.

The Democrat-led Senate voted along party lines 26 to 24 to provide the three state universities $34 million more than the current year's funding. That's more than Gov. Terry Branstad's proposed $20 million increase.

The bill goes back to the Republican-led House, which has proposed to cut funding for the three state-run universities by $31 million.