Amidst collapsing academic departments and huge tuition hikes, many colleges across the nation are also responding to budget cuts by increasing student resident fees.

The trend began last year, when the Michigan Board of Regents implemented a 3.9 percent increase in the residence hall rates at the University of Michigan, bringing the cost of dorm living to $8,924 in 2009-2010, an increase of $334 from the previous year.

The Arizona Board of Regents followed suit earlier this year when they handed down an almost 11 percent increase in residence hall fees for the fall 2009 semester.

In Alabama this April, the State Board of Education authorized Faulkner State Community College and Wallace State Community College-Hanceville to increase their dorm fees as well--FSCC increasing by $200, and WSCC increasing by $50.

The Texas Christian University announced in early December that it might raise housing rates up to 2.5 percent for all of its dormitories.

Meal plans are also getting more expensive. Residents at FSCC and WSCC now have to pay $1,120 for their meal plans, compared to $945 last year.


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