The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a measure Friday that will see students at four campuses pay more for college housing and meals
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a measure Friday that will see students at four campuses pay more for college housing and meals.
The regents voted 6-2 to approve housing rate increases starting next year for its four campuses with student residence halls, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Kearney students will pay about $400 more next year to live and eat on campus under the new fees.
The 4.5 percent rate increase also will affect students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and at the Nebraska School for Technical Agriculture at Curtis.
The increases will vary by residence hall, but UNL students will generally see their room and board rates rise next year to about $9,500.
The Omaha World Herald reports that the University of Nebraska at Kearney will see rates rise to about $8,300 a year, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha will see cost go up to about $5,400 for a nine-month contract.
At the agriculture campus at Curtis, housing costs will range from about $1,300 to $2,300 per semester.
Regents Hal Daub and Jim Pillen voted against the increases.
Daub said the increase would send a bad message to the Legislature, which will be voting on Gov. Dave Heineman's proposal to increase state funding to the university system and state colleges by $47 million in exchange for a two-year tuition freeze.
But University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken said Heineman understands his proposal covers tuition, not other costs, and that NU officials will have similar discussions with the Legislature's Appropriations Committee.
The increase in rates could come on top of additional costs students would pay if legislators approve a proposal to eliminate a sales tax exemption for college dorms, Omaha state Sen. Jeremy Nordquist has said.
UNL Housing Director Sue Gildersleeve told the Journal Star that the rate increase is the lowest in 10 years for UNL and that the rates are in the lower range of Big Ten Conference schools.
She said the rate increases are necessary to keep pace with salary increases, utilities and food costs.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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