University of Iowa to increase residence hall, meal plan rates
The state Board of Regents approved the University of Iowa’s request to increase the current residence hall rates by 3 percent starting the 2022-23 academic year.
Daniel McGregor-Huyer/The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson speaks during a state Board of Regents meeting in the Alumni Center at Iowa State University on April 6, 2022.
April 7, 2022
The University of Iowa will increase residence hall rates by 3 percent for the 2022-23 academic year.
Rates were raised between 2.7 and 2.8 percent in 2021 at the UI, depending on the residence hall room type.
The state Board of Regents approved the request at its Thursday meeting. Residence hall rate increases were also approved for Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. ISU rates will increase by 3 percent while UNI will increase by two.
The rate increase will apply to the 2022-23 school year and summer 2023 session housing.
Additionally, the 3 percent increase applies to the meal plans currently offered at the UI:
- The Gold (unlimited) meal plan will increase from $3,955 to $4,075.
- The Black (220 meals per semester) meal plan will increase from $3,565 to $3,672.
- The Hawkeye (75 meals per semester) meal plan will increase from $1,530 to $1,576.
The document states the current prices for Hawkeye Dollars, the one-time housing application fee, and university-affiliated guest rates will not change.
The residence system governance report, presented to the regents at its February meeting, states the proposed increase is based on multiple factors including needed infrastructure improvements, estimated operating costs, available capacity, and the debt service requirements.
“Each residence system operates in a unique competitive environment with individual capital and operational needs,” the document outlines.
The report details that the fiscal 2023 budgets were developed considering the expected number of occupants in the dorms, purchased meal plans, estimated operating cost increases, projected infrastructure improvements, and the debt service requirements of the residence halls.
The UI intends to increase its ratio between rented or used space versus space available in the dorms, also known as its occupancy ratio, to:
- 84.7 percent in fiscal 2022
- 91 percent in fiscal 2023
- 91.7 percent in fiscal 2025
Additionally, the pandemic’s impact reduced residence hall occupancy to approximately 80 percent capacity in each of the regent institution residence systems during fiscal 2021, the document outlines.
