Students react to University Housing cost increases
Griff Ahnert, an Engineering major living at Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall, skates outside of Weston Hall on Sept. 18. Students react to increased University housing rates in the new academic year.
September 22, 2021
Since the 2018-2019 school year, the cost of each housing and meal plan option has increased.
The University offers various housing options, with popular choices including traditional halls with and without air conditioning.
From 2018-2019, the cost of a double in traditional housing with air conditioning (Babcock, Blaisdell, Busey, Carr, Evans, Hopkins, Oglesby, Saunders, Scott, Snyder, Townsend, Trelease, Wardall and Weston Halls) was $6,404, not including meals. For the 2021-2022 school year, the housing costs are $6,870, a 7.28 percent increase.
For a double in traditional housing without air conditioning (Allen, Barton, Leonard, Lundgren, Shelden, Taft and Van Doren Halls), the cost was $6,068. During the 2021-2022 school year, housing costs increased to $6,512, a 7.32 percent increase.
“University Housing is really expensive. I know it is more expensive than some other schools, but I am unsure of the exact factors that make it more expensive,” Afshan Razzaq, senior in LAS, said. “I feel like the University could be more transparent about where their costs come from, especially since the prices are increasing.”
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During the 2020-2021 school year, the cost of living especially increased. The price of a double in a traditional air-conditioned hall increased from $11,820 to $12,252, a 3.65 percent increase over one year.
After their freshman year, many students opt to live in off-campus apartments, which oftentimes has overall cheaper monthly rent than university housing.
However, despite increasing costs, according to Off-Campus-Community Living Group, if one rents a 12-month $500 monthly apartment, it will likely be more expensive than living in the university residence halls, after factoring in the cost of utilities and food.
“I feel like University Housing is cheaper than apartment living; that’s my initial reaction,” said Kennedy Hall, sophomore in LAS. “Although the monthly rent is cheaper than living in University Housing, with the extra cost of buying groceries and food, I think it adds up to be more.”
