The cost of a basic room and meal plan at Ball State University will increase approximately 5 percent for the 2007-08 academic year because the Board of Trustees approved a housing budget increase of 3.7 percent Friday.
Rate increases vary depending on where a student lives, said Tom Kinghorn, vice president for Business Affairs and treasurer. A basic, double-occupancy room and board will cost $7,240, an increase of $342 from last year.
The increase will go toward personnel costs, supplies, food and maintenance, according to the board report. Some of the money will also go to paying loans on Park Hall, the report said.
"We've done the best job we could trying to find a compromise," Kinghorn said. "This is the kind of food and residence hall facilities students have expressed they want."
Room and board for 16 colleges Ball State surveyed in the 2006-07 academic year ranged from $6,140 to $8,140, and Ball State ranked fifth. This increase should keep the university competitive, Kinghorn said.
Student Trustee Danielle Frazier said she believes students understand why the rates increase and that Ball State tries to keep the increase as low as possible.
The 3.7 percent budget increase is not directly reflected in the actual cost of living on campus because not all students will have to pay the rate increase, Kinghorn said. About 1,800 students are enrolled in the Premium Plan, a program students sign up for in which they agree to live on campus for two years, and in return, they pay the same rate both years and are not affected by budget increases.
Kay Bales, vice president of Student Affairs, said room sign-ups have already begun, and Park Hall, which will open Fall 2008, is already a popular option. The four studio apartments available in the residence hall were the first rooms requested, she said.
University-wide, approximately 250 more contracts have been submitted for living on campus next year compared to last year at this time. Although that number changes daily, she said it was a good sign.
Kinghorn said approximately 4,200 other students living in Ball State facilities would pay the rate increase. Some housing options will increase less than others, including University Apartments, which will increase approximately 3 percent, he said.
Trustee Gregory S. Fehribach, who was approved as assistant secretary on Friday, brought up several concerns about the budget increase. His concerns
centered around whether every part of the increase was necessary and what value Ball State was providing to its students living on campus.
"To students, we need to be vigilant why," Fehribach said. "I think a lot of our customers and customer's families will understand why. We aren't just doing it on a whim."
The board also approved changes to meal plans offered by Ball State. In the past, freshmen were not applicable for the plan with 10 meals each week, along with Dining Plus. Beginning next year, freshmen can also choose that option, Director of Dining Jon Lewis said.
Dining Plus options will also be available to all students, not just those living in the residence halls, Lewis said. They can purchase Dining Plus Block Plans of $100 to $500 at a discount of 8 percent to 16 percent, depending on how much is purchased.
Instead of losing the remaining Dining Plus at the end of the semester, the balance will roll over from semester to semester so students will not lose money they did not spend, he said. This would apply to all Ball State students' Dining Plus accounts until they graduate.
Providing more options to off-campus students is an option Ball State should explore, Lewis said. After speaking with Student Government Association and several of the fraternities, he said he believed students want to eat on campus and would use meal plans.
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