Campus room rents to increase by 2% next year

The increase marks the first room rate change in the past three years. Room rents in all campus dormitories will increase 2 percent next year, Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said yesterday. Although rents have remained stable for the past three years, administrators said rising utilities costs forced next fall's "modest" increase. "Two percent is really a pretty nominal increase," Associate VPUL Larry Moneta said. "It's a sign of the University's real interest in ? being very careful and determined to spend wisely," he added. More than 800 students who applied last week to live in the high rises under the community living option will begin signing occupancy agreements today. Revised rate sheets will be available to those students, Moneta said. But approximately 900 students who chose to change or retain their high rise apartments have already signed on-campus occupancy agreements without knowledge of the increase. Residence Life Acting Director Chris Dennis said his office would "work quickly" to inform students of next year's rent increase. "Now that we have the rates, we will give students and their parents the best information we have," Dennis said. Moneta explained that although no official announcement was made to inform students of possible rent changes, students who inquired about next year's rent were told "there might be increases." Additionally, the Department of Housing and Residence Life will "work with students individually" who may have financial difficulty paying the additional rent. But Chodorow said this week that he does not expect the increase to cause financial difficulties for students. "I can't imagine students will be unable to pay the increase," he said. Although the delay in information became "inconvenient" for students, Dennis said he supports the administration's "high-level analysis" of the room rates. "I understand fully the concerns people have, but I do believe that everyone involved in analyzing the rates and rents has been proceeding with the utmost care," he said. "I think students will be pleased with the overall package," he added. Discussions concerning room rates were part of a "strategic planning" review that examined tuition and all student fees, McCoullum explained. "The administration did a very thorough review which looked at ? all fees paid by students in the context of setting overall rates of increases," she said. McCoullum said administrators were committed to keeping "the rate of increases down to be respectful to students and their families." She added that she believes the rate of rent increase is "one of the lowest in the country." Last fall, 5,463 undergraduates and 800 graduate students lived in campus residences, and 643 students lived in on-campus fraternity or sorority houses. The rent increase came as a surprise to many students, who were unaware that next year's rent might differ from this year's. College sophomore Rachel Weiss said she received last year's room rate sheet when she signed an agreement to retain her High Rise North room. "I assumed next year's rates would be the same as they were on the sheet," Weiss said. "I was under the impression the rates they gave us on the sheet were the rates for next year. "If there was even a possibility there would be a rent increase, they should have made that clear," she added. But Wharton sophomore Howie Blumenstein said he "had a pretty good idea" that rates would increase slightly next year. "I knew it wouldn't be anything ridiculous," he said. "But the [Housing and Residence Life officials] couldn't tell me what it would be for sure." Dennis explained his department's World Wide Web site would be updated to reflect the rent increases.