Room rates to increase next fall

Although the administration has yet to officially announce room rates for on-campus residences next fall, Provost Stanley Chodorow said yesterday that rents will "increase modestly" in all dormitories. Chodorow added that he "hopes" exact figures will be available to students as early as today. But approximately 900 students have already signed on-campus occupancy agreements without knowledge of the increase. Chodorow said he does not expect that the increase -- which he described as "very small" -- will pose a financial burden to students. "I can't imagine students will be unable to pay the increase," he said. Residence Life Acting Director Chris Dennis said yesterday that his department was still unaware of how much rent might change. "We will work individually with students for whom the rent rates pose special difficulties," Dennis added. And Assignments Counselor Mark Griswold said he has had no answers for students who expressed concern in the past few weeks about the lack of available room rate information. "When students ask, we tell them we're still waiting," he said. "We haven't been able to give them a date yet." Students who opted to retain or change rooms in the high rises during this month's retention period signed forms without knowledge of any rent information. But Chodorow said students who applied last week to live in the high rises under the community living option will know about the rate increase when they begin signing agreements Wednesday. "The community living people will know [about the increase] by then," he said. But the uncertainty has frustrated some students. "It concerns me that I signed up and that I don't know the cost yet," College freshman Eric Golding said. "I just assumed it would be comparable to what I'm paying now, but I don't like that the information isn't known," he added. Although room rates for the following year are usually available to students before they sign their occupancy agreements, discussions this semester lasted "longer than we had wished they had," Chodorow said. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta explained that this year's delay results from an administrative effort to be "cost-conscious" during the budgeting process. "We want to be absolutely sure we're spending your money wisely," he said. "It's been a complicated year," he added. Room rates in on-campus residences have remained stable for the past two years. And although Chodorow acknowledged that "it is not possible to continue that," Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said University administrators are committed to keeping costs for students "as low as possible." "We're going to hold the rate of increases down to be respectful to students and their families," she added. The additional money from increased room rates will fund "mandatory increases," including heat, light and utilities costs, McCoullum said. Although administrators said this year's rent increases will not fund upcoming dorm renovations, room rent may eventually contribute to those costs. Renovation plans for existing buildings are part of an overall study of campus facilities by the consulting firm Biddison Hier, scheduled to be released this spring. "Eventually, rent will have to be reviewed in preparation for renovations, but it's premature to link it now," Moneta said.