Re$idence hall $tudents' room and board rate$ to increa$e

HERSHEY -- Whether students like it or not, daily door-to-door newspaper service may cost them more money than they would expect in next year's room and board expenses.

If the University's experiment dealing with student reading habits in three dorms this semester receives positive response from those participating, all students may have to shell out an additional $15 to cover the cost of the paper.

This semester, the University is paying for the Centre Daily Times and The New York Times to be delivered to the doors of every student in Atherton, Pennypacker and Ewing halls. The students will be given surveys at the end of the semester to give their opinion on whether the papers helped them in any way.

As approved Friday by the University Board of Trustees, room and board rates for the 1997-98 academic year will increase for the average student -- a standard double room and meal plan three -- by about 3.8 percent more than this year's rate of $4,170 for one year. Many students can expect a $160 increase in their room and board expenses, a measure which will go into effect July 1.

The possible added costs were not fair if the newspaper experiment had only been conducted at University Park, Council of Commonwealth Student Governments President Tim Daniels said. The needs of the Commonwealth Educational System students were not taken into consideration, he said.

"I really think we have touched all bases on this one," University President Graham Spanier said in response to Daniels.

But the extra costs tagged onto the already-increased board rates may not appeal to students, said Undergraduate Student Government President Sharon Entenberg. Although the program is essentially good, she said students already complain about various costs.

"I would be very hesitant to apply this change to everyone, assuming that everyone wants this service," she said.

Trustee Walter Conti also expressed concern about the students' knowledge of what the costs would be, and that the service may be assuming the two papers distributed this semester are the only papers in which students have interest.

Other costs assessed at the meeting include graduate residence hall rates of $1,185 per semester for a standard double room. Rentals for Graduate Circle Apartments will be $415 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, and $485 per month for a two-bedroom apartment. In addition, Eastview Apartments will be $325 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and $395 per month for a two-bedroom apartment.