Michigan State University students who live in the residence halls will see their room-and-board rates increase by 3.5 percent for the 2015-16 academic year.
Rent in university apartments will also increase next year, 1 percent in Spartan Village and 2 percent in University Village.
The MSU Board of Trustees approved the rate change at its April 17 meeting.
With the rate change, the residence hall double room rate for undergraduate students will increase $132 to $3,912 per year. The silver unlimited dining meal plan increases $188 to $5,562 per year. MSU’s rate is among the least expensive in the Big Ten and the fourth-most expensive among Michigan universities.
The basic silver plan provides students unlimited meals at any of the 10 residence hall dining facilities from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. It also includes the Combo-X-Change, a popular program that allows students to pick up a meal or snack at a food truck, Sparty’s or retail dining location once each weekday.
Total residence hall house and dining costs for next academic year will increase to $9,474.
“Raising rates is not something we take lightly,” said Vennie Gore, MSU vice president for auxiliary enterprises. “But with the cost of food, labor and other items continually going up, and given our commitment to providing a quality living environment for our students, we had little choice.”
Gore said that for about $42 a day, MSU students living on campus enjoy a wealth of amenities, including a safe and secure living environment, free linen and laundry services, high-speed Internet, access in their neighborhood to the resources of the engagement centers and award-winning food service.
“Our focus continues to be on the academic success of our students,” Gore said. “Providing them access to convenient, clean halls and nutritious food along with tutoring, advisers and health professionals right in their neighborhood gives them the support they need to concentrate on their studies.”
This past year, Niche.com ranked MSU food service No. 1 in the state and No. 24 nationally from the 1,175 colleges sampled.
MSU recently completed a dining master plan with renovations to Landon and Akers residence halls, bringing a destination dining location to each of MSU’s five residential neighborhoods.