The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees yesterday approved fee-related changes that will affect the Edwardsville campus. The changes finalized during the board’s meeting on the Carbondale campus included the student fees for Housing occupancy rates, Information Technology, Textbook Rental and Intercollegiate Athletics.
Other fee changes approved were Student Welfare and Activity Fee (SWAF), Student Fitness Center, Facilities and the Morris University Center.
Under the proposals, annual rental rates for a shared room at Woodland, Prairie and Bluff residence halls will be $5,430 compared with the current charge of $5,270. A deluxe single room will cost $10,860 annually compared with $10,540 now. Annual housing rates at Evergreen Hall will be $5,770 for a shared apartment compared with $7,700 for a private apartment or a private suite rate of $6,530.
Upperclassmen residing in Cougar Village Apartments will pay $4,130 per year for a shared room compared with $4,010 paid currently per year, while a single room will cost $6,130 annually compared with $5,950 now. A deluxe single room will be assessed at $8,260 per year compared with $8,020 now.
Families in Cougar Village, now paying $990 per month for a two-bedroom, unfurnished apartment, will pay $1,020 in the fall and $1,050 in fall 2014. The same family paying $1,160 per month now for a furnished two-bedroom apartment will pay $1,195 per month in fall and $1,230 in fall 2014. Families in a three-bedroom unfurnished apartment now paying $1,110 per month will pay $1,145 per month in fall and $1,180 in fall 2014. A three-bedroom furnished is now $1,300 per month and will be $1,340 in fall and $1,380 in fall 2014.
Proposed occupancy rate increases would offset inflationary cost increases projected at 2-3 percent, fund debt service, maintain adequate fund balances in housing operations and provide for administrative costs.
The Resident Housing Association also received a three percent increase per semester in the meal plan charges for residents living in housing on the mandatory plan. The rates were developed for the academic year effective fall 2013 to offset inflationary cost increases in labor and food.
The Information Technology fee will change from $6.85 per credit hour to $7.05, resulting in a full-time undergraduate student paying $211.50 annually (two academic semesters of 15 hours each) compared with $205.50 that is paid currently for two semesters. This fee helps defray the costs of supporting computing resources and networking infrastructure on campus.
Textbook rental fees will increase by $18 for the academic year effective fall 2013. The textbook rental fee is assessed at the same rates year-round. The annual rate for 30 hours will increase from $351 to $369. The increase will offset other inflationary operating cost increases in salaries and general administrative costs, provide necessary levels of service and maintain an appropriate fund balance.
A full-time undergraduate student (30 credit hours) will pay an Intercollegiate Athletics annual fee of $341.30 beginning in the fall, a change from the current rate of $331.40. The proposed increase of $9.90 will support the annual operating expenses associated with an NCAA Division I program and will move the program toward established fund balance targets.
Annually (for a full-time student enrolled in 15 hours or more during fall and spring)
FY13 FY14 Change
• SWAF $225.80 $229.90 +$ 4.10
• Student Fitness Center $163.50 $168.40 +$ 4.90
• Facilities Maintenance $555.00 $570.00 +$15.00
• University Center $313.50 $323.10 +$ 9.60
School of Pharmacy students will see a decrease of $35 per semester in their technology fee as the semester rate will drop from $235 to $200. While the fee provides for student laptop computers and replacements, the higher fee is no longer required as the cost for laptops has declined and built-in battery replacement is available.