Cal State Long Beach dining hall rates will rise for both returning and new residents this upcoming academic year, while room rates will remain at their current levels.
The price of the meal plans for all residents will rise by 4 percent for the 2011-12 school year and by 3 percent for the 2012-13 school year, said Carol Roberts-Corb, the director of housing and residential life at CSULB.
49er Shops, a Cal State University auxiliary organization that manages campus stores including the Nugget, Outpost and bookstore, is responsible for providing meals through the university dining halls.
“Housing has an agreement with the 49er Shops to provide meals to residents,” Roberts-Corb said. “We negotiate the meal plans and associated rates with 49er Shops.”
49er Shops maintains that the price increase was necessary and that quality of food or service will not change at the dining halls next year.
“Obviously no increase is a good increase,” said Rosa Hernandez-Henderson, director of communications for 49er Shops.
49er Shops, a non-profit organization like many other CSU auxiliaries, keeps prices at a minimum and seeks only to cover costs, she added.
According to Hernandez-Henderson, the price increase of the meal plans for next year is due to inflation and the rising cost of food.
Housing costs, however, did not increase last year, this year or for next year, according to Roberts-Corb.
“I can say that we try to be very, very sensitive to students’ ability to pay for room and board, given the current economic situation and increased student fees,” Roberts-Corb said. “That is why we haven’t increased the room rate.”
Some students understand why the cost of meal plans will increase.
Junior Kyle Fraser, resident adviser of Parkside Commons N building, said he would prefer food prices increase, rather than the price of housing.
“I don’t think it would affect me too much,” he said.
According to Fraser, many students have grants, scholarships and loans that already helped them pay for the dorms and eating in the dining halls.
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