Regents to consider room and board rate increase

It’ll cost more to sleep and eat at the three state universities under a proposal to be considered by the State Board of Regents this week. Regents Executive Secretary Frank Stork says the proposal calls for a room and board rate increase at each university. The proposal calls for a six-point-two percent increase at the University of Iowa, five-point-three percent at Iowa State University and six percent at the University of Northern Iowa. That’d be an increase of 273 dollars at Iowa, 234 at ISU, and 249 at UNI. Stork says they’re several reasons for the increase such as upgrades of the dorms, technology improvements and an increase in employee costs. Stork says these increases are about percent higher than the average in the last ten years.The room rate comes on the heels of a double-digit tuition increase. Stork says the residence system is self-supporting and the increases are reasonable. He says the students are getting more for their money today and even with the increases, Iowa’s institutions still rank near the bottom for costs with comparable universities.The Regents will consider the proposal at their meeting Wednesday and Thursday at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.