Comparing standards of dorms across campus
With 22 Residence Halls on Central Michigan University's campus, some students choose to 30 percent more to live in upgraded halls.
“The sizes between the dorms is about the same," said Director of Residence Life Kathleen Gardner. "It’s more about the amenities you are gaining such as air conditioning, and that students have their own bedrooms.”
The five upgraded halls are Kulhavi, Campbell, Celani, Fabiano and Kesseler. Cost of room and board is connected with what meal plan a student has.
According to the 2015-2016 Room and Board Rates, students who have a 10 meal plan living in a standard room are paying $8,124 for the year in Room and Board. Students who have an Unlimited meal plan living in a standard room are paying $9,088 for the year. Students with a 10 meal plan living in an upgraded dorm are paying $9,486 for the year. Students with an unlimited meal plan living in an upgraded dorm are paying $10,450 for the year.
"Everyone is friendly, the showers are bigger, the dorms are appreciated more and less maintenance is needed,” said first year Kulhavi resident, Bryan Zazaian. “I love the environment of it."
People often wonder what students are gaining for paying 30 percent more in the upgraded dorms, Gardner said.
All five upgraded dorms have study lounges/classroom space, fitness centers, students get their own bedroom, there are two bathrooms so you only share with one other person, and one of the upgraded halls (Celani) and one of the standard halls (Herrig) have twelve month contracts available as well.
Standard residence halls also typically have these amenities, except with usually more people living together in each room.
“Central also provided private bathrooms long before most Michigan campus’ did," Gardner said.
Some of the costs that determine room and board include health insurance for employees, paying people who work for the departments, water pumps, updating buildings, paint, furniture, carpeting, heating and cooling bills, Gardner said.
"(I've worked here) since the day it opened — about thirteen years ago or so," said Residence Hall director of Kulhavi Darell Armentrout.
He said there were a significant number of returning students at Kulhavi.
