Students living in Fairmount Towers or the new Shocker Hall can expect room and board rates to increase significantly next year.

The university sent proposals for room and board increases to the Kansas Board of Regents about two weeks ago. As part of their policy, the Board of Regents released the proposals, along with those by other institutions across the state, last Wednesday.

The Regents’ Fiscal Affairs and Audit Standing Committee will discuss the proposal, along with those from other public universities, on Nov. 20. No action will be taken until December.

One of the proposals made public included a hefty price tag for students wanting to live in Shocker Hall — $10,164 per year.

“That $10,164 is indeed the price for a double occupancy [with a meal plan] for the new building,” said Wade Robinson, vice president for campus life and university relations.

The rate for Fairmount Towers, is proposed to increase to about $8,319 a year for a two-person room. The increase would take effect in the Fall of 2014.

Robinson does not think the proposed increase would deter students, partly because the proposed rates are lower than the Midwest average. He said the average yearly room and board charge for 4-year public institutions in the Midwest is $8,737, lower than the cost at Fairmount.

Even though Shocker Hall will likely have rates higher than the Midwestern average, Robinson said the amenities coming with it will make the difference. The amenities include private bedrooms, a new dining center, a coffee shop and extended hours in the lounge.

“I think those amenities, plus the location, plus the convenience are going to make a huge difference as far as positive things the student is looking for,” Robinson said. “This is [kind of] an anomaly for us, because we’re normally very conservative in our prices in the 2, 3, 4 percent rates. We’ll return to that. Just this one year with the total reconstruction of the housing program is where there’s a blip for us. I fully respect the cost.”

In addition, Robinson thinks students will see the benefits of the new residence hall.

“It creates a different environment of networking on campus that really does assist in retention, really helps students [kind of] make connections with people,” he said.

Students, however, aren’t as optimistic about the proposed rate increases. Sophomore Forrest Jenkins was considering moving into student housing next year, but now, he isn’t so sure of that decision.

“It obviously will affect a large number of students because one of the big reasons everyone goes to WSU is that it isn’t very costly,” Jenkins said. “If they raise the boarding costs, that cuts into that reason people go to WSU. So I think that it will lower the number of students that use student housing, simply because it is a cost increase.”

Katie Wiggins is a senior at Andover High School and plans to attend WSU next fall. After hearing about the planned rate hikes, she said she has no plans to live in student housing.

“If I wasn’t sure before, I’m definitely sure now that I won’t live in student housing,” Wiggins said. “I’m a middle-class kid, I don’t have thousands of dollars just sitting around.”

Robinson, though, sees the good in the change of the university.

“I think when people see the finished products,” he said, “talk about the changing environment, they’ll [kind of] understand what our objectives are, and that will build a whole new level of excitement on campus.”