Iowa’s public universities, along with the state and federal government, awarded less financial aid to students last budget year as enrollment at the campuses fell.But with COVID-19 further driving down enrollment while driving up the need for tuition help, the universities have stressed the importance of financial aid to lawmakers now deciding how much to appropriate the campuses and to families weighing where to send their students — and their money.“In 2019-20, the total amount of financial aid awarded to students (both undergraduate and graduate students) was down for a second straight year from $1.09 billion last year to $1.06 billion,” according to a new Iowa Board of Regents report.