The Trail

Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Paul Wicks UPS student stands in front of Trimble Hall with empty pockets.

Students may be surprised at new cost increases for certain housing on campus. When looking over the budget at the most recent board meeting, it became clear that the school was not earning enough revenue to sustain all the areas necessary with the current budget. One of the main areas of focus was housing, since tuition and board were already considered and seen as a last resort. Thus the Housing Occupancy Task Force was created.

The focus group concluded that since the university currently has a flat rate for all campus housing, they could begin increases with the most popular housing: single rooms and on-campus houses. Currently there are 761 single rooms in on-campus housing. This number includes the 210 singles in Greek houses, 165 in all other UPS houses and 386 singles in Trimble. Right now Trimble residents pay 17 percent more for housing than anyone else, something that the administration felt was a bit unfair.

Associate Vice President of Business Services John Hickey commented on the on-campus houses.

"The houses themselves are more expensive to operate and maintain-they are more equitable," Hickey said. "Within the room fee, it essentially covers everything-high speed internet access, water, utilities and general maintenance, which is about the same or cheaper as someone who would be paying to live in a house off campus."

When the group looked at other peer institutions, they found that nearly all of them already had a differential rate structure for housing in place.

Dean of Students Mike Segawa felt this was an important point.
"We're historically below room and board averages," Segawa said. "When parents call about their child being placed in a single or campus house they already expect to pay more."
Next year the differential rate structure will be put into place. Trimble residents' rates will fall from 17 percent down to 15 percent, in line with the newly raised price of 15 percent for all on-campus houses and single rooms. This rate will be the same for double and single rooms in houses.

The task force felt that this was the fairest and most effective way to increase revenue for the school. After looking at their budget for the next ten years and beyond, they realized that there would not be enough for maintenance and renovation of all the residence halls and houses. The renovations are essential to maintain an acceptable standard of living for all the students. They include improvements in everything from heating and ventilation systems to water, fire safety systems, floors, furniture, paint and the like.

Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services Maggie Mittuch was also a part of the task force.

"Pricing single rooms and university houses at a rate of 15 percent higher than other rooms on campus will impact student's choices on where they might seek to live in our housing system, but consumer choice is a fact of life," Mittuch said. "As individuals we all make choices on the relative value of products and services as compared to price."

Junior Janine Roddey also felt this was fair.
"Trimble is already more expensive than the dorms because it's a more spacious and comfortable place to live in," Roddey said. "Therefore it would be justified for on-campus housing to be just as expensive as Trimble for the same reasons. The possible conflict between the double and single rooms in the houses costing the same is something the housemates will have to work out on their own."

• Kara Becker has a penthouse.

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