The Ferris State Board of Trustees recently approved a 1.3% increase in room and board rates for the 2022-23 school year.
According to a news release from the university, a student with a double room and basic meal plan will pay a $9,862 for the 2022-23 school year compared to this year’s rate of $9,734 with the same basic meal plan and double room.
Vice President for Administration and Finance Jim Bachmeier stated that it is common for low rates to increase due to inflation.
“The housing and dining program is expected to be better next year than the current offerings as we anticipate fully reopening some of the limited or closed concepts,” Bachmeier said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bachmeier explained that the university wanted to hold the increase to a small number. Director of Dining Services Scott Rossen stated that the housing rates will remain flat with an increase in room and board rate total of 1.3%.
“All board plans, including the express/commuter meal plans, will increase by 3%,” Rossen said. “However, the housing rates will remain flat, resulting in an increase in room and board rate total of 1.3%.”
Rossen also explained that the increase in room and board is based on a number of factors, including staff wages and rising food costs.
“I really hope that mongo grill and Erberts and Gerbert’s will be open,” pre-optometry freshman Claire Nowicki said. “I hope the increase will open up everything we’re supposed to have access to.”
Bachmeier stated that closed dining options on campus are the results of labor shortages that are being felt throughout the dining and restaurant industry. The increase is in meal plan costs and not in housing.
“If the extra money that we’re paying is going towards the staff, I would be okay with it,” early education freshman Kristen Nelson said.
“Because I think that there’s a struggle right now with getting jobs and getting paid well enough from jobs to support yourself anyway.”
According to a rate recommendation document, a 14 traditional meal plan in the 2021-22 school year costs $4,284, compared to the $4,412 for the same meal plan for the 2022-23 school year.
The crimson anytime meal plan will increase by $140, the gold plan will increase by $150 and the platinum meal plan will increase by $160.
“This increase will help dining continue to strive to add more offering for our students and allow us to continue to offer high quality meals in our dining areas,” Rossen said.