UNI President tells a Decorah audience he's worried about the impact of higher tariffs on the state's budget

The Iowa Legislature recently approved a package of state budget cuts totaling $35.5 million.  The University of Iowa and Iowa State University felt the larger impact of the cuts, having state aid slashed by a total of $10.8 million.

The University of Northern Iowa was spared in this round of budget cuts, but UNI President Mark Nook on Tuesday told Decorah Rotary Club members that he's worried about future state finances.  Specifically, Nook says the higher tariffs on imported Chinese steel and aluminum will hurt manufacturing companies in Iowa, while the higher tariffs levied by the Chinese on pork and agricultural products could hurt exports by Iowa farmers.

That could have an impact on UNI because it is active in all 99 counties in Iowa and draws 90 percent of its 12,000 students from in state.

Nook also told Rotary Club members that budget cuts are falling disproportionately harder on the state's three universities because legislators feel the schools have another source of revenue--higher tuition charges.