House Votes to Cut $3 Million From UNI: How Did Local Lawmakers Vote?

The Iowa House of Representatives voted Tuesday to cut $3 million from the University of Northern Iowa's budget.

The bill would reduce funding for the Regents institutions, which include UNI, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, by $31 million.

That is in contrast to the Senate version, which asks for a $34 million increase in funding for the Regents institutions, including a $11.2 million increase for .

The two bodies will now have to negotiate to reach a compromise before a spending plan becomes law and goes into effect July 1.

The move came less than a week after the to help address UNI's budget deficit. UNI administrators have said the university faces a $5 million deficit this year.

The House was split on the vote - 56 voted in favor of the bill and 42 voted against it.

Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, voted in favor of the bill. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, Anesa Kajtazovic, D-Waterloo, and Deborah Berry, D-Waterloo, voted against it.

Rogers and Kressig did not immediately return calls asking for comment Tuesday night.

Check back with Patch for updates.

An earlier version of this story said 40 voted against the bill. Patch regrets the error.