Jack Up! UMDRL to Raise Room and Board Costs...Again!

Starting next year, your Room and Board fees will be up by 3.47%.

Representatives from the departments of Resident Life, Resident Facilities and Dining Services approached the group with a proposal to raise room and board by $292 next year to a total cost of $8,714.

The 3.47 percent increase largely reflects standard cost increases these departments face every year: higher energy costs, higher cost of health insurance benefits for employees, even the increased cost of the furniture that stocks dorm rooms.

While the article focused on wireless internet upgrades for the dorms, (which is a good thing). The probelm was related to other factors.

Associate Director for Dining Services Joe Mullineaux also added that a state-mandated raise for all university employees to the living wage - an adjusted minimum wage based on an area's standard of living that would raise employees pay from $8.59 an hour to $9.67 - was one of the biggest factors driving up the student fees this year. The raise will cost Dining Services and Resident Life $374,787 combined.

But I was shocked by this:

Last year, room and board fees went up $347, and the year before, the costs increased by $284. Room and board fees have increased every year for the past 20 years.

That's right, your room and board has been jacked up 20 times, in 20 years. Seriously
someone the MGA has to do something about it. But don't expect them to do anything about.