DES MOINES -- The Iowa Board of Regents is asking lawmakers to use dollars expected from the federal stimulus bill to fill in $75 million in cuts to Iowa's public universities and special schools for the vision- and hearing-impaired.

Board President David Miles said the institutions are working diligently to respond to proposed cuts and cuts already ordered totaling 11 percent, or a reduction $75 million this year.

"Reductions of this magnitude pose a serious challenge to our institutions and identifying where and how to cut is a tremendous undertaking," Miles told a legislative committee charged with writing the education budget.

University presidents and special school superintendents are forgoing salary increases next year and bonuses at the end of this year, a move Miles called unprecedented. The universities also have consolidated purchasing operations, centralized auditing and implemented other money-saving measures.

"At some point it becomes difficult to avoid damaging the core, the quality, affordability and or access of our institutions. At some point, one can no longer do more with less," Miles said.

Troy Price, spokesman for Gov. Chet Culver, said they hadn't yet seen Miles' request, and are still waiting for guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on how education money in the stimulus bill can be spent.

In the face of budget cuts, University of Iowa President Sally Mason said the university would work to preserve need-based scholarships, student financial aid, library acquisitions and research funding.

She has appointed six task forces to explore possible cost savings, saying officials are examining every program and function at the university.

"My administration, the colleges and each department will consider all options. Everything is on the table," Mason said.

Recovery from last year's flood is complicating those efforts as the initial damage estimate of $230 million is expected to grow.

University of Northern Iowa President Benjamin Allen said officials worked this year to protect student financial aid, campus safety and academic programs from cuts.

"It is distressing, though, each time we respond to cuts it becomes harder to protect the programs and services that represent the core values of excellence at UNI," Allen said.

Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy said budget cuts will have an impact on students, who will likely see fewer class options and larger classes.

"I don't want to whine, because we're all in this - these economic times, and we just simply have to realize it, and we have to get to work and figure out how to move ahead," Geoffroy said.

Contact Charlotte Eby at (515) 422-9061 or chareby@aol.com.