Iowa lawmakers are exploring the possibility of establishing a new public university in western Iowa. A bill introduced in the House calls for a study on creating a four-year university in Pottawattamie County.
During a subcommittee meeting, Rep. Robert Henderson (R-Sioux City) expressed support for the idea, emphasizing the need for a closer option for students in western Iowa. Currently, Iowa State University is up to three hours away for many students in the region.
“However, much closer to many of them are the University of Nebraska, as well as South Dakota State or the University of South Dakota, which, by the way, offers in-state tuition to Iowans,” Henderson said.
Rep. Mary Madison (D-West Des Moines) said a study would be useful but questioned whether Iowa truly needs a fourth public university.
“I do concern myself about the need, to make sure that there’s a need for it… but I’m happy that you’re doing a study before you make decisions about that,” Madison said.
This isn’t the first time Iowa lawmakers have explored the idea. In 1967, the state legislature approved $34 million to build the University of Western Iowa, with potential locations including Harlan, Denison, Atlantic, and Carroll. However, the project was canceled in 1970 due to budget constraints.
For comparison, Missouri has 13 public universities, but the state’s population is nearly double that of Iowa.
The study would assess factors such as student demand, potential locations, and financial feasibility before any decisions are made.
