Housing fees to rise 2.7 percent

Increase rate is below those at many similar public institutions

The lowest rate of increase for student room and board rates in years was unanimously approved yesterday by the University Board of Regents.

"We are pleased to be able to bring forward a low percent increase that we still think is responsible to maintain our ongoing need to (satisfy) our residence hall and family housing populations," said Alan Levy, director of Housing public affairs.

Students who apply for traditional housing for the 1998-99 school year - which includes the majority of underclass students - can expect a 2.7-percent increase. For the University's family housing facilities, the increase is even lower at 2.45 percent.

This year's approval of room and board fees by the regents comes in the wake of several months of discussion and debate among students, administrators and regents regarding the future use of University Housing units.

"We've been working on costs," said Maureen Hartford, vice president for student affairs. Hartford identified eight key areas that have been and will continue to be important to Housing, including eliminating room arrangements that are too confined.

"We plan to completely eliminate overflow triples by the year 2000," Hartford said, addressing one of the recurring Housing issues.

When discussing long-range Housing goals, Hartford mentioned the possibility of constructing a new residence hall. This possibility will have to be weighed against other options, she said.

LSA sophomore Bram Elias, a Michigan Student Assembly representative, said the low increase represents the close working relationship between students and representatives from the offices of Student Affairs and Housing.

"The proposal (Hartford) put before the regents today can honestly be called a student proposal," Elias said.

But Elias said the regents' "attitude" toward the volatile issue of student housing is not encouraging.

"The regents seem to want to run the University like an economic institution, not an educational institution," Elias said.

Students currently pay $5,342 to live in a standard double room in traditional residence halls - those that serve meals. Next fall they will pay $5,488 - an increase of $146.

Regent Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) said the work done by Hartford and members of her staff has resulted in a fiscally sound rate of increase.

"I was comfortable with the fact that vice president Hartford has done a lot of homework with her staff," Maynard said.

Compared to public and private universities across the nation, the University's increases this year rank on the average to low end. But the cost of living in University housing is still higher than it is at any other public Big Ten school.

The estimated rate of increase for traditional double rooms at Pennsylvania State University is 4 percent, whereas it is 4.5 percent at Ohio State University and 6 percent at University of California at Los Angeles. Michigan State University estimates it will increase its room and board rates at the same level as the University.

As in the past, Housing will guarantee rooms in traditional residence halls to all incoming first-year students, Levy said.

He added that while upperclass undergraduate students cannot be guaranteed housing in traditional residence halls, they are secured some form of on-campus housing.

"They are going to be able to come back to campus housing," Levy said. "That was always the case."

The regents also re-approved a $19-million certificate of need for renovations and expansion to the University Hospitals emergency department. The proposal was originally approved in 1995, but budget cuts stalled the project.

"We have a very busy emergency room and we want to be sure to serve the patients well," said Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Gilbert Omenn.

The central plan remains unaffected by the three-year gap, with only some minor changes, Omenn said.

The University Hospitals also signed a joint contract with Henry Ford Health Systems to accommodate children with specialized health care needs.

"It enabled us, instead of competing against each other, to minimize cost," Omenn said. "For us, it's unthinkable to not be serving those kids."

- Daily Staff Reporter Jennifer Yachnin contributed to this report.

02-20-98