Purdue News
Purdue News
December 21, 1997
Under the new rate schedule, undergraduate students living in residence halls will have a variety of options, but the average cost will be $4,544 for the year for a room and 15 meals a week, an increase of about 5 percent or $217. Graduate student housing will increase 3 percent, and married student housing will go up 2 percent.
In other action, the trustees awarded a $3.12 million contract for Kettelhut Construction Inc. of Lafayette to begin building a new Black Cultural Center facility and approved the creation of two degree programs at the Purdue Statewide Technology Program in New Albany.
Frederick R. Ford, executive vice president and treasurer, said the housing fee increase can be attributed to increasing utility costs, medical insurance premiums and food prices. "Sewage costs are projected to increase 8.5 percent, while medical insurance will increase approximately 4.5 percent and food prices will increase about 3 percent," he said.
"Purdue's housing and food service system is one of the best-managed operations in the country and will continue to be a great bargain for our students. Purdue's residence hall rates ranked seventh among the Big Ten universities, and we expect that ranking will remain the same after the rate increase."
With about 10,000 undergraduate students living in 12 housing units, Purdue has the largest residence hall system in the country that does not require students to live in university-run housing.
Students living in undergraduate housing again will be able to choose from three meal plans: 20, 15 or 10 meals a week. Purdue began offering three meal plans in the fall of 1996, said John A. Sautter, vice president for housing and food services.
The average undergraduate room with the 20-meal-per-week plan will cost $4,912 for the year. Under the 15-meal-per-week plan, the rate will average $4,544. Under the 10-meal-per-week plan, the rate will average $4,326. The rates will go into effect Aug. 10.
All undergraduate rates include telephone with call-waiting and voice mail, cable television hookup in each room and access to Purdue's central computing network in many rooms and through computer labs in each hall, Sautter said.
Effective Aug. 10, rates for the Hawkins and Young graduate houses will increase 3 percent, ranging from $2,421 to $4,627 annually, with the average rate being $3,002. The rate includes utilities, telephone with call-waiting and voice mail, cable television hookup and air conditioning.
Starting July 1, the average monthly rent for married student housing units will be $436.53, an increase of 2 percent or $8.61. Monthly rents will range between $402 and $505. Utilities, telephone with call-waiting and voice mail, and cable television hookup are included.
Graduate students and those in married student housing do not have contracts with the university that include meals.
University residences are self-supporting. No state funds are involved in their operation.
Writers: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu
Jenny Pratt, (765) 496-3133; home, (765) 474-7299; e-mail, jenny_pratt@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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