The minimum wage increase and national inflation rates have affected "little pockets" in students' budgets, as well as Ball State University's budget, one school official said.
Some areas that have been affected recently at Ball State include student employment, cost of food in the dining halls and the cost of washing laundry on campus.
"Minimum wage overall doesn't largely affect big companies, but it can affect smaller ones that employ minimum wage workers," Chairperson of Marketing and Management Brien Smith said. "You'll be able to find small pockets where it has an impact."
Director of University Budgets Randy Sollars said $3.8 million of Ball State's budget is devoted to student employment.
When speaking of the graduate assistants employed at the Miller College of Business, Smith said wages were cut and the college had to employ fewer students this semester.
Alan Hargrave, associate vice president of Student Affairs, gave a few explanations for the increase in the cost of food in the dining halls.
"Health care cost for workers has increased and transportation cost of the food has increased," he said. "Half of all the returning students didn't pay any increase because they were on the premium plan, and the cost of housing and dining for them is locked in."
The increased cost of 25 cents for the washers in the residence halls was a request from the vendor, Hargrave said. This was meant to cover the cost of newly installed software in some of the halls so that students could use Cardinal Cash. Also, technology was installed so students could be alerted through e-mail when their laundry was done, he said.
Student Government Association President Beth Cahill said she spoke with her advisor about ways SGA could support students on a tight budget.
"We talked about SGA promoting cheap and free events on campus," she said. "Also, students are welcome to voice their opinions at the Cardinal Round Table, which is held once a month."
Cahill said she can see the effect the economy is having on some of her friends who can't find jobs or loans to go to school.
She said she is also concerned that not as many people will participate in greek recruitment this year.
"I don't feel like as many students will come out because going greek costs money," Cahill said.
Hargrave said the university is trying to cut down on its spending habits as well.
"Because of inflation, the cost of all disposable products, such as toilet paper and carry-out containers from dining areas, increases," he said. The residence halls now use paper towel rolls and foaming hand soap in an effort to be more cost effective.
"We tried to find ways to cut costs so we wouldn't have too much of an increase on a student's budget," Hargrave said.
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