Student housing, ResNet propose increased fees

Department to vote on higher Internet costs in scholarship halls

By Matt Lindberg

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Students living in scholarship halls discussed the possibility of increased fees with the Department of Student Housing and ResNet at a meeting Tuesday night. The meeting addressed increased housing and Internet fees that could go into effect as soon as fall of 2008.

Students currently pay $4,593 a year to live in the residence halls, a fee that can be broken up into three categories: $2,876 goes toward room fees, $1,628 pays for meal plans, and $89 is spent on ResNet services.

ResNet wants to increase its fee to $500, and the cost would include cable, Internet access, and possible wireless availability in the future.

Dianna Robertson, director of student housing, said at the meeting that utilities accounted for a large portion of the scholarship halls’ budget and that students who live in other residence halls shouldn’t have to pay for the scholarship halls’ efficiency costs.

Adam Fiedler, Holton sophomore who lives in Battenfeld Scholarship Hall, said both the housing and ResNet proposals took away the meaning of a scholarship.

“The proposals defeat the purpose of scholarship halls because they will raise prices almost as equal as it would cost to live on Daisy Hill,” Fiedler said. “There is no point in having a scholarship fund if it doesn’t benefit the people.”

Fiedler said he and other students were angry that the departments just now discussed the proposals with scholarship hall residents.

“They want to raise prices without showing anything for it,” Fiedler said. “It’s ridiculous.

ResNet representatives said that they recognized how poor infrastructure in the scholarship halls was and that raising fees was the only way to fix the issue.

Katie Oberthaler, Wichita sophomore who lives in Margaret Amini Hall, said she thought the plan wasn’t fair to every student.

“Some students use the AFC and don’t have a computer,” Oberthaler said. “So if you don’t have Internet, why pay the bill?”

The Department of Student Housing also proposed increasing housing and meal fees to accommodate inflation costs.

Student housing will vote on the proposals Thursday night.

—Edited by Chris Beattie

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