A student, a researcher, a Regent and a lawmaker weigh in on higher education funding

Audio: replay conversations from Iowa Ideas 2017

It's almost certain that tuition at Iowa's public universities will increase in the 2018-19 school year, with universities pitching hikes of up to 7 percent and shortfalls in current tuition revenue.

What's less certain is what should be done to fund higher education in Iowa, how tuition increases will impact students and Iowans long-term and what solutions might be possible.

At Iowa Ideas 2017, September 20-22 in Cedar Rapids, we gathered stakeholders with multiple points of view to discuss funding for higher education.

Panelists included:

-- Tom Mortenson, senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education

-- Jacob Simpson, University of Iowa Student Government president

-- Larry McKibben, board member of the Iowa Board of Regents

-- Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, Iowa State Senator

-- Moderator: Vanessa Miller, Gazette Higher Education reporter

Full story based on this conversation: Iowa Regent doesn't see tuition increasing 7 percent

Latest coverage of higher education funding in Iowa:

-- October 16: Iowa universities make case to state: they're economic engines

-- October 15: Despite hikes, tuition income falls short

-- October 11: Iowa regents won't consider tuition next week as planned

More from the Iowa Ideas magazine:

-- Alternate ideas for funding higher education: Should universities follow the money?

-- Finances 101: Amid tuition increases, students now required to take a "cash course"