Kyle Prudhomme

In late March, Slippery Rock University announced it would raise prices on student services such as use of the student union and student recreation center, as well as meal plans and housing.

“Our primary reason to do this was inflation,” said Dr. David Wilmes, chief student affairs officer. “2017 was the last time we raised some of these fees, and inflation has gone up 24% since then.”

Starting in fall 2024, SRU students will pay $70 more per semester for a plan, an increase of 5.22% over what they currently pay. Rates for traditional housing will jump 2% to $35 more per semester, while use of the student center will cost $10.50 more per semester, an increase of just under 5%.

The biggest price increase is for the Aebersold Recreation Center. Starting this fall, students will pay $20 more per semester to use it, an 18% increase over the previous rate.

This marks the first time in years the university has raised prices for any of these services. Prior to next year, the price of the meal plan has been the same since fall 2017, while the prices for traditional housing and the student center were unchanged since fall 2015, and the price for the recreation complex had been fixed since fall 2013.

The price hikes were approved at the university’s quarterly business meeting on March 22. The administration previously brought the proposed increases before SRU’s student government.

“Whenever we raise fees, we do go in front of the student government and present the proposal to raise fees,” Wilmes said. “We basically went to the student government and said that we wanted to increase the fees to be in pace with the inflation that we've experienced over this period of time.”

According to Sydney Rezzetano, a senior at SRU and member of student government, there were “probably five or six” meetings between student government and the university administration over the span of a month and a half.

“There were definitely concerns from a few people,” Rezzetano said. “But after seeing the presentation, everyone had an understanding that it was necessary.”

While students at The Rock largely understand the rationale behind the price increases, that doesn’t mean they’re in favor of them.

“It’s just going to be a lot harder to pay for things,” said freshman Ariana Brazile. “I get the reasoning, but I just think it's going to make it a lot harder for students and families and parents that send their kids here.”

Two of the four fees which will be raised this fall — the student union and the recreation center fees — are compulsory. Students can opt out of meal plans, while juniors and seniors can opt to live off campus and not pay the housing rate.

While the recreation center received the largest price hike, Rezzetano believes this is offset by the amount of programs the center offers, such as fitness, climbing and yoga classes.

While costs for auxiliary programs will go up next year, tuition fees — a separate expense — may remain flat. SRU is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which sets tuition for all of its member institutions.

PASSHE has kept its in-state undergraduate tuition at $7,716 per year since fall 2018.

“I believe the current conversation is depending on whatever the governor's final budget is for the commonwealth,” Wilmes said. “That could determine if a tuition raise occurred or not.”