For the 2012-13 academic year, the cost for residence hall rooms with double occupancy is proposed to increase from $8,154 to $8,476. However, the cost of a designated or permanent single room in Spartan Village Apartments and University Village Apartments is planned to remain the same.

“These increases are necessary because some of our operating costs are increasing,” Patterson said during his presentation.

Patterson said the operating expenses for campus residence halls and apartments are projected to increase 3.3 percent, and the utilities costs are projected to increase 11.1 percent during the 2012-13 academic year. The utilities and operating costs have increased due to the university using less coal and more natural gas, he said.

Patterson also said the debt service costs, the interest and bonds RHS borrows for the renovations, will increase from $9.5 million to $11.4 million due to the Brody Complex Neighborhood and Case Hall dining renovations.

“The renovations help our students in each of our neighborhoods during their stay at MSU,” Patterson said. “(Without the bonds), it would take 35 years to finish things that have taken five to six years.”

Another topic brought up during the meeting was the purpose of the neighborhood engagement centers.

Wonders Hall representative Lily Burnstein said she feels many students don’t know about the engagement centers and they are being unused.

Although the engagement centers could be better marketed, Kathy Collins, director of Campus Living Services and Residence Life, said the department has several ideas for the upcoming year to help bring services closer to the student.

Some ideas discussed at the meeting were to videotape study sessions so they are easily accessible on YouTube and have Skype study sessions with professors from all across the country.

“I know we can do a better job,” Collins said. “But, our goal is to increase GPA, shorten the time it takes to graduate and graduate more people.”