Iowa State University’s Alliance for Iowa State issued this action alert on Monday, April 24th. We encourage you to share it far and wide! Even if you’ve already called and already written the Governor, do it again.
We will not forget that he has the power to veto the Leopold Center cuts no matter how long he waits to take action.
ISU Alliance for Iowa State action alert:
The 2017 legislative session came to a close Saturday morning. In a particularly difficult year from a budget perspective, several pieces of legislation will significantly impact Iowa State University.
The budget approved by the legislature reduces Iowa State’s general university appropriation by $2.53 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1 (FY18). This is in addition to the current (FY17) fiscal year’s mid-year reduction of $8.99 million. In sum, Iowa State began FY17 with a general university appropriation totaling $184.4 million. That will shrink to $172.87 million in FY18.
Most significantly, the legislature zeroed funding and included language that will shut down the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Many of you have already contacted your legislators to request that the center be restored. We ask that you now contact the Governor’s office to veto the language that discontinues the Leopold Center. This would enable Iowa State to continue to operate the center through private funds generated through its endowment account.
The elimination of $397,417 from the Leopold Center will be transferred to the Nutrient Research Center as the $1.3 million for this center was also zeroed out. However, it will be back-filled by approximately $1.5 million the Leopold Center would have received through the Agriculture Management Account, one of four accounts comprising the Groundwater Protection Fund.
A list of Iowa State’s additional appropriations are as follows:
- The Student Innovation Center will receive $6 million for FY18 versus the $9 million that was previously approved. The $3 million shortfall will now be provided in FY22, fulfilling a total of $40 million over five years instead of four.
- The agriculture experiment station, cooperative extension service, livestock disease research, VDL operations, economic development, and RIF remain steady compared to last year.
- SBDC’s appropriation was eliminated, however, the program can be supplemented by funds from the economic development appropriation and the Regent Innovation Fund.
- Unfortunately, the new Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) did not receive any planning money.
Although we did not receive everything we asked for, the university is grateful for the resources the legislature was able to invest in Iowa State.
The Governor is expected to sign or veto legislation in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your efforts to support Iowa State University!