EIU Media Relations

Room And Board Rates Set For 2015-2016 School Year At EIU

Eastern Illinois University’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved room and board rates for students living in EIU housing during the 2015-2016 school year.

Students living in EIU’s residence halls and Greek Court will see increases of $83 to $94 per fall/spring semester (a 2 percent increase), depending on the chosen meal plan.  Room and board rates will range from $4,233 per semester for the 7 Meal Plan Option to $4,773 for the 15 Meal Plan Option.

Four meal plan options each permit students a specified number of dining center meals per week; a specified number of “Dining Dollars” that can be used to buy additional meals in any dining center; to make purchases at Eastern’s Food Court, Java B&B and Panther Pantry in the MLK Jr. Union and at the university’s residence hall convenience center.

Students living in one of the 148 units at University Apartments (designed primarily to meet the needs of student families and single graduate students) will see increases of between $9 and $10 per month, with rent costs, ranging from $488 to $513, depending on the type of apartment being rented (1 and 1/2 room, 2 room, or efficiency).  All utilities are included in the rent price.

Residents of University Court, a 146-unit apartment complex for sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students, will see increases in rent costs, ranging from $48 to $65 per semester, depending on the type of apartment being rented.

Mark Hudson, Eastern’s director of Housing and Dining Services, said the university looks at several factors when deciding on housing costs each year.

“We take a careful look at our needs, including fixed costs such as utilities, employee wages and food costs,” he said.  “We also consider the best ways with which to maximize our resources.  We try everything we can to economize while continuing to provide the best service possible to our students.”

According to Hudson, university housing is home to approximately 35 percent of the student body.  Surveys among those residents indicate that “students really feel like they get a good return on their investment.”

In addition to routine maintenance performed annually in all residence halls, Eastern concentrates on on-going multi-year projects, as well.  For example, the university finished its Ford Hall bathroom renovations this past August, allowing residents a private bathroom in a community area.

Also, Eastern will have completed by August 2015, an additional four floors of room renovations, which brings the university’s total residence hall rooms renovated to 97 percent.

-30-