December 4, 2009

Trustees approve 2010-11 residence hall rate plans, addition to First Street Towers

The board also approved construction of an additional building at First Street Towers to go with the first two that opened this fall.

Room rates at Purdue University Calumet also were approved.

Purdue has four tiers of rooms at the West Lafayette campus with prices that reflect demand. Average room and board price increases will range from 5.5 percent for Tier 1 to 2.1 percent for tier 4. More than one-third of student rooms are in tier 4.

"Our goal is to provide students with options while still keeping room and board affordable," said John Sautter, vice president for housing and food services.

Students can choose from among five meal plans. They will increase an average of 3.66 percent, ranging from $4,400 to $5,444.

Purdue's on-campus residence program, which houses approximately 11,600 students, is the largest system in the United States where all campus housing is voluntary. The system is financially self-supporting, and no state funds or general student fees are used for construction, maintenance or operations.

Depending on the type of campus housing students select, the room-only price for the 2010-11 academic year will range from $2,282 to $10,132.

University Residences offers a comprehensive package that includes furnished rooms that include utilities, telephone service, cable TV and high-speed Internet. Flexible meal plans are available 18 hours a day, and a portion of students' dining dollars can be used in the Purdue Memorial Union and at various campus satellite food operations.

Trained staff members are available 24 hours a day to offer counseling and mediation services, access to buildings is monitored, and security policies are enforced to help ensure student safety.

"We serve those who want to maximize the student experience," Sautter said. "They're acclimated to what's happening on campus, study time is increased because they're right here. They don't have to worry about meals, and they have many opportunities to get involved in campus clubs and organizations."

Annual comparisons also show that campus housing positively impacts retention and grade point averages. In spring 2009, GPAs for freshmen living in University Residences averaged 2.83 compared to 2.54 for freshmen living off campus.

Sautter said demand for the 356-bed First Street Towers, a unique campus housing configuration that filled up quickly before its August opening, warrants beginning the second phase.

Trustees had originally planned to complete three buildings for the First Street Towers project. However, the project was scaled back due to construction-related cost increases, said James Almond, senior vice president for business services and assistant treasurer. The third tower, which will be constructed adjacent to MacArthur Drive, is estimated at $25.7 million and will include 174 additional rooms for upperclassmen.

Project bidding will likely occur in June with construction to begin in July or August in anticipation of a fall 2012 opening.

Trustees also heard an update on the Windsor Halls renovation, which is in its third phase of a five-year project. Windsor's Wood and Duhme halls opened this fall fully air-conditioned, with upgraded bathrooms and infrastructure improvements. The project is to be completed in 2012.

The air-conditioning project in Harrison Residence Hall also is continuing, and the installation of modern fire sprinkling systems is about 86 percent complete campus-wide.

A new University Residences master plan unveiled this fall with the help of Sasaki Associates of Watertown, Mass., shows opportunities for renovation and new construction. The Sasaki study determined that most housing is on the western side of campus, and more options are needed to keep non-freshmen living on campus. The study notes that the existing H-buildings, along with Purdue Village and Hilltop Apartments, are in need of renovation.

New construction possibilities include the creation of a residential zone in the southeast quadrant of campus, housing along the State Street corridor and the creation of a graduate village in the Hayes Triangle area.

Trustees also approved room rates at Purdue Calumet. The rates for four-bedroom suites and for two-bedroom suites will increase 4.7 and 4.8 percent, respectively. The units offer apartment-style housing accommodations without board contracts. The Calumet campus has nearly 750 rooms.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: John Sautter, jasautter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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