Michigan State University students who live in the residence halls will see their room-and-board rates increase by 3.95 percent next academic year.
However, for the fourth consecutive year rates for students living in the Spartan Village on-campus apartments will not see a rate increase. Also, the monthly rate at University Village will increase 2.2 percent, or a total of $15 per person.
The MSU Board of Trustees approved the rate change at its April 22 meeting.
With the rate change, the residence hall double room rate for undergraduate students will increase $144 to $3,780 per year. The silver unlimited dining meal plan increases $204 to $5,374 per year.
The basic “silver” plan provides students unlimited meals at any of the 11 residence hall dining facilities from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
Total residence hall housing and dining costs will increase to $9,154 for the 2014-15 academic year.
“As in past years, we have worked hard to keep the rate increase as low as we possibly could,” said Vennie Gore, MSU vice president for auxiliary enterprises. “For about $41 a day, we offer our students an amazing array of amenities.”
Among the advantages of on-campus living: Free laundry and linen service; high-speed Internet connection; dedicated resident assistants and other staff; and the implementation of MSU’s Neighborhood Initiative, which provides a variety of services, including tutoring and health care, within walking distance of every student.
One reason for the rate increase, Gore said, is due to the amount of renovation work that has been undertaken over the last few years.
“Many of our residence halls are a bit elderly – some more than 60 years old,” he said. “Many of them were built at approximately the same time and many of the renovations are coming due at one time.”
For example, Butterfield and Landon halls’ dining facilities have been closed since last year due to renovations. When they both reopen this summer, students, staff and others will note how the old-style architecture of the buildings that populate north campus was retained.
The Akers Hall dining facility will close this summer for a major renovation. Once re-opened, it will mean each of the residential neighborhoods will have a “signature” dining hall.
In addition, Yakeley-Gilchrist dining hall will close permanently in May after 66 years of service. Landon’s facility was expanded to handle the overflow.
Also scheduled to open soon is the Creative Commons in Wilson Hall. To be known as “The Hive,” the center will serve as a business incubator serving the Eli Broad College of Business and the colleges of Engineering and Communication Arts and Sciences.
For more information about on-campus housing at MSU, visit www.liveon.msu.edu.