The board that governs the three state supported universities will receive a report this week about the economic impact of the institutions on the state. Regents spokesperson Barbara Boose says it’s important to note the impact in light state budget cuts.She says the 35 companies and four laboratories affiliated with University of Iowa business incubators reported nearly 15-hundred employees residing in 60 Iowa communities in 20 counties. She says the employees earn an average salary 50-thousand dollars. Boose says the universities pull in outside dollars that the state needs.She says the sponsored funding brought in 600-million dollars in money dedicated to specific projects. Boose says some might think the universities don’t need state funding because of the money they generate from outside — but she says that money is targeted for specific projects. She the university might get for example, a grant to study the plant sciences and that money can’t be used to pay the electric bill. She says the state funding ensures the infrastructure is there to continue the research. She says that state money generates additional opportunities and is an investment in Iowa’s future. The Board of Regents hear the report at their meeting this week in Ames.
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