Along with the 5.8 percent increase in tuition for the 2003-2004 school year, students at Saint Louis University can also expect to see increases in room-and-board rates.
By listening to students and finding out which residence halls and apartments are the desirable places to live, Kathy Humphrey, vice president for Student Development, said the University was able to figure out how much each room rate should increase.
Incoming freshmen will feel the burden of the increase, with Griesedieck rooms moving up between 7.4 and 7.6 percent. Those moving into Marguerite Hall, the other freshman center, can expect at least an 8 percent increase over last year’s rate. Walsh and Clemens each will have a lower increase, with each type of room set at either a 3.5 or 3.6 percent rate hike, because they lack recent renovations.
DeMattias Hall, Reinert Hall, Fusz Hall and Notre Dame Hall, all open to upperclassmen, will each have an increase between 6.9 and 7.1 percent, with the most expensive, a single room in Reinert, going for $6,780.
The Village, the most sought after apartments on campus, will experience an increase between 6.9 and 7.1 percent. The most expensive, a one-bedroom apartment with a balcony, will cost students $7,990. Conversely, the least expensive will be a four-bedroom, no balcony apartment for $6,740.
Due to the popularity of the Grand Forest apartments, rates will increase either 7.5 or 7.6 percent, depending on the style of the apartment.
Marchetti Towers will only have a 6.4 to 6.5 percent rate increase over last year.
“SLU2000 did wonderful things for the residence hall system–now we have to maintain that wonderfulness,” Humphrey said.
The University is looking toward tightening security and increasing safety by installing a card swiping system to replace desk workers, as well as keeping up with maintenance, Humphrey said.
Humphrey also mentioned replacing the carpet in at least half of the Village apartments over the summer.
With the opening of the second phase of Coronado Place in the near future and the Continental Life Building offering housing for students, off-campus housing is something Humphrey is concerned about, but not frantic, she said.
“It’s something we’ll always have to talk about,” Humphrey said.
One option the University is looking at in order to overcome a loss of students in the on-campus housing system is to offer married student or graduate student housing in part of Grand Forest.
Board rates are also set to increase 3.8 percent, except for the 8-meal plan plus $250 flex plan, which will increase 4 percent. SLU is contracted with Chartwells to increase rates 4 percent each year, but according to Humphrey, the University will take on some of the cuts.
Humphrey said there are no major plans for renovating dining facilities during this summer.
