Trustees approve RPS housing rate increase

The board of trustees approved a 2.2 percent price increase for housing at IU next year at its meeting Friday.\n Housing increases range from 4 percent at residence halls such as Briscoe, McNutt and Teter, 2 percent at the Willkie Residence Center, Forest Co-op and Mason Apartments and 1 percent at on-campus apartments. \nThe 2,390 Residential Programs and Services meal point plan will also be increased by 2.38 percent, said Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Services and Programs Bruce Jacobs.\nStill, students will get a chance to voice their opinions before rates are announced for next year's tuition, IU President Adam Herbert announced at the meeting. The special session will be conducted from 3 to 5 p.m. March 23 at the IU-Purdue University Indianapolis campus with video and teleconferencing allowing for participation from all IU campuses. \nDespite RPS's price increase for students, the organization received nothing but commendations from the board and other IU administrators.\n"I am especially proud that the leadership here recognizes that it is important to keep our rate increases as low as possible, and they have done a very good job of doing that," IU President Adam Herbert said.\nDiscussion continued about the recent successes of the RPS program and its ability to turn around students' approval ratings in recent years. Six years ago, IU had the third highest room and board prices in the Big Ten. IU now ranks eighth.\n"I do want to compliment Bruce and Pat (Connor) on what they've done over the past several years," IU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis said. "Not only transforming what has really been a difficult situation in the halls, but also for their creativity in identifying theme floors as well as expanding living learning centers."\nRPS was not the only topic of conversation, however, as each IU campus presented its 2005-2007, ten year capital plan. The plan, which is a basic "wish list of the campus," was comprised of all the different needs of the campus and the rough estimate of their cost. Headlining Bloomington's list of hopeful changes were a $170 million power plant to replace the existing one, renovations to the Main Library and new buildings for classrooms. IU is currently 10th in the Big-Ten in classroom space per student.\nIt was made evident to the board of trustees that nearly 98 percent of the items on the ten year plan will end up falling off the list, but it has to be inclusive so any future renovation or construction can be approved.\nIU Student Association President Casey Cox updated the board of trustees on the student readership program, which concluded on Friday. He answered questions about increased waste in the Indiana Memorial Union and explained to the board the positive feedback he has received.\n"The formal responses and discussions I have had with other student leaders have been overwhelmingly positive," Cox said. "I imagine a recommendation will come to the board at the March meeting."\nIUPUI Faculty Council President Mary Fisher brought up the recent discussion over an altered grading system where an A+ would receive a higher grade point average. Fisher commented that the increase would force IU to shift to a 4.3 grading scale, and she expressed her concerns for students outside that upper echelon.\n"My concern, of course, is what does this mean for people who are at those middle and lower ranges of the grading system and how does it negatively impact those people," Fisher said.\nThe board of trustees will next meet at IUPUI March 23 when they will hold the tuition discussion.\n-- Contact senior writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.