Resident assistants will feel the pinch of a tightened budget in their tuition pocketbooks.

New RAs will receive about $190 less toward tuition each semester starting this fall, said Residence Life Director Gail Hurley.

Returning RAs will receive the same amount as this year, but all RAs will receive only $500 per semester toward tuition the following year. Both new and returning RAs will continue to receive free room and board, Hurley said.

Anticipation of a slimmer budget due to increased expenses, such as higher room and board for students and RAs, required Residence Life to reallocate its funds, Hurley said. Residence Life hopes to prevent additional cost increases to students while implementing its "strategic plan," which includes looking to improve the RA program, she added.

"We're looking at money issues. We're also looking at our service to students," Hurley said. Residence Life will be reviewing the placement of RAs throughout campus and will try to save money to allow for additional RAs if they are necessary in some areas, she added.

Other cuts in the Residence Life office include leaving vacant two coordinator positions, Hurley said. Graduate students may fill the positions instead of full-time employees, she said, adding that many Big Ten schools use graduate student coordinators to supervise RAs.

"Most of our budget is in people," Hurley said, adding that additional cuts in areas such as office supplies will be looked into but do not affect the budget greatly. Hurley said she does not know if an additional decrease in tuition payments will be necessary in the future.

Dorm vacancies affect Residence Life's budget and may reduce funds if they exist next year, Hurley said.

West Halls RA Marc Birenkrant said he thinks the cuts in the RA remuneration are fair because the entire office is facing budget limits.

"There's going to be some give and take everywhere," Birenkrant said. Graduate students as coordinators would be better than eliminating the positions and could prevent overworking other coordinators, he said.

Shelly Liposky, a Centre Halls RA, said she thinks Residence Life made a good decision spreading out the program cuts instead of eliminating major portions of the organization. She said she doesn't think decreasing tuition compensation will be a problem.

Centre Halls RA Tina Slingerland also said she did not think these cuts would be a problem for new RAs. Additional RAs in some areas may be necessary to improve the community, she said.