Support for renovations and technology to come in form of higher room and board
The cost of living at CU is on the rise.
The Department of Housing has proposed an increase in room and board rates for all residence halls, the Bear Creek Apartments and family housing facilities.
“The proposed increase for room and board is 9.5 percent. Bear Creek will be 2 percent and I think family housing is going to be 3 percent,” said Deb Coffin, director of housing and dining services.
The Board of Regents will review the proposal this week. The regents are expected to make the final vote on the housing rates during their May or June meeting. If passed, the increased rates will apply for the incoming freshman in the fall of 2007.
Coffin said there were several reasons for the proposed increases.
“For the residence halls, there’s three primary factors: increased operating costs primarily related to the cost of food, also utilities and technology support and just salary increases that are mandated by the state of Colorado.”
Technological support includes the price of providing wireless to students living in the residence halls.
“Wireless went live in all the residence halls this year, but starting next year, we have to start paying for the work and the expenses that it took to get that done this year,” Coffin said.
An additional cause for the possible raise in costs is a series of building renovations for campus housing facilities. The first residence hall to be renovated is Arnett. Construction on Arnett begins in June and the dormitory will be closed next year during renovation.
“It takes a year for each building to be renovated, so we will have one residence hall offline every year for the next five years,” Coffin said.
Part of the renovation plan is to install air conditioning in the residence halls.
Bear Creek is included in the proposed price escalation due to a possible change in ownership. The University Foundation owns Bear Creek at this time, but CU is looking to purchase the apartments.
If the proposal passes, students planning to live in the residence halls will see the increased cost with the arrival of their university tuition statement.
Housing expenses are paid on a semester-by-semester basis.
The room and board rate for spring of 2007 for a standard double, triple quad or five-person room was $4,150. The cost includes a meal plan of 15 to 19 meals per week required for all freshmen. The effect of the proposal would bump the semester rate up to approximately $4,544.
It seems many students would not be turned off by the need to pay more money.
When asked if a price raise would have affected her decision to attend CU, freshman open-option major Bethany Saul said, “I would still go to CU just because I’m an in-state student and I think living in the dorms for a year is a good experience for everybody to have.”
Freshman business major Brooke Pietsch agreed.
“It wouldn’t have changed my decision of going to CU. I think it depends on each individual. But for me personally, I probably wouldn’t think about (the cost) too much, which is probably a bad thing.”
Contact Campus Press staff writer Elizabeth Cuje at elizabeth.cuje@thecampuspress.com.
