Two weeks ago, the University announced that housing rates will increase an average of 16.4 percent for the 2001-2002 school year. As part of its decision-making process on how much to raise housing rates, the University conducted a study to compare its housing rates with those of other Jesuit universities.

Next year, a standard double room in Griesedieck will cost residents $1,825 per semester. There are a small handful of Jesuit universities where you might pay less. At Rockhurst University, an average double dorm room runs about $1,175, at Creighton about $1,650, and at Marquette about $1,495.

A couple of other surveyed universities’ rates fell below the $1,825 mark, but SLU still remained close to the bottom of the price scale of housing at Jesuit universities.

Georgetown, St. Peter’s, College of the Holy Cross, Loyola of Chicago, Xavier, John Carroll, Regis and Fordham are just some of the universities that presently charge considerably more for housing than SLU will after next year’s increase. An average double at Loyola of Chicago is $2,308 per semester, and at Georgetown it is about $2,900.

Across town at Washington University, students pay $2,301 per semester to reside in a double in one of the older dormitories and $2,562 to reside in one of the new ones.

Kathy Humphrey, vice president for Student Development, says that even after large rate increases, students at SLU are getting a good value.

“Quality of the residence halls is head-over-heels better after these renovations,” Humphrey said. Among the renovations made were new windows and doors for Marchetti Towers, complete room upgrades in Reinert Hall and new paint, doors and air-conditioning in Marguerite Hall.

Humphrey said that although there may be cheaper options for living off-campus, there are advantages to life on campus that are often overlooked when students evaluate the price.

“Staff, technical support, DPS, counselors on-call 24 hours – these are just a few of the services that are rarely thought about,” Humphrey noted. “All these things are a phone call away; sometimes they are closer.”

“I know that 16 percent is a big deal because someone has to pay that. I don’t take it lightly,” Humphrey said. “I believe in the on-campus experience, and we wouldn’t have [raised rates by such a large amount] unless we had to. We’re not doing this to make money. We’re doing this to truly better facilities for the students.”