The Board of Visitors Finance Committee will consider proposed increases in housing and meal plan rates for the 2018-19 school year at its meeting Thursday.
In terms of on-Grounds student housing, prices are expected to rise by an average of 3.5 percent from last year’s rate, according to the proposed rates. This increase is meant to help cover the $1.3 million cost of ongoing renovations to the McCormick Road Residence Halls, as well as necessary repairs to existing housing facilities.
The highest increase at an additional $260 for the year would affect students living in single rooms in all upperclass residence areas, including Lambeth Field, the Language Houses, Faulkner, Bice and Copeley buildings III and IV. This represents a 3.55 percent increase from the previous year. Rates for double rooms in the same facilities were only slightly lower at an additional $230 per year, a 3.52 percent increase.
Students living in first-year housing would experience the lowest overall increase in rate for the year at an additional $210, affecting the McCormick and Alderman Road Residence Areas, as well as Brown College, Hereford, Gooch-Dillard and the International Residential College. This represents a 3.48 percent increase from the previous year’s rate.
For all other residence areas, including Lawn Rooms and upperclass rooms at Hereford, Brown College and the IRC, price increases range from an additional $210 to $260 per year, or 3.38 to 3.57 percent. Rates for double rooms are again lower than those for single rooms, although prices vary by residence area.
Meal plan rates would also rise by an average of 3.0 percent during the 2018-19 academic year. These increases are geared toward addressing higher food costs, as well as increased personnel and operating expenses.
“The proposed meal plan structure and rates is a collaborative effort between Aramark and the University, based on the next year’s budget,” University spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “The proposal incorporates extensive student feedback indicating a preference for more offerings, best practices at other institutions, and actual usage data.”
The highest increase would affect students on the Ultimate Access plan at an added $160 per year, or a 3.08 percent increase from last year.
The lowest increase would affect students on the Semester 80 plan, at an added $70 for the year, a 2.98 percent increase. Additionally, an $150 increase is proposed for the All Access 7 plan, along with an $130 increase for the Semester 160 plan. These proposed rates are the same for all students on meal plans, including students in the Language Houses and varsity athletes — however, overall prices differ. Supplemental meal plans, such as the Exam Pack 10 and Add-On Meals 25, would not currently experience any increase in price.
While proposed rates for housing and meal plans may increase from one year to the next, this is not always the case, as prices are dependent on the University’s budget.
“The variance in proposed rates year over year reflect the variables in a given year’s expenditure budget,” de Bruyn said. “The proposed rate increases are based on any identified operational savings plus incremental costs for expanded offerings, and guidance provided for planned salary increases, utility increases, and other inflationary factors impacting the units’ operational costs.”
The Finance Committee is expected to vote on these rates at its meeting Thursday afternoon in the Board Room of the Rotunda.
Correction: This article previously incorrectly stated the proposed increases were for each semester. This article has been updated to note the increases are being proposed for the 2018-19 academic year.
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