The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved a 3.75% housing increase for undergraduate residence halls for 2024-25, along with a 3% hike in dining rates during its December meeting.
“While increases are necessary to balance rising operating costs as well as the cost of utilities, maintenance and supplies, we have worked diligently to keep increases as minimal as possible and markedly less than the increase last year,” said Eric N. Monday, UK executive vice president for finance and administration.
While the increase for undergraduate residence halls and University Flats graduate housing will be 3.75%, break housing will increase $4 or 4.25% and early move-in rates will increase $1 or 3.45%. In addition, university-constructed graduate and apartment housing will have a 2% increase, except for Greg Page Apartments and Shawneetown which will not change from current rates.
Students living in undergraduate residence halls are required to purchase a dining plan with the exception of University Flats. Dining rates and plans are based on an agreement with Aramark, the university’s dining partner and will continue to offer four dining plans — one minimum plan and three optional plans — to students living on campus during the 2024-25 academic year.
“We continue to work with our dining partner to provide healthy food options,” said Monday. “We also are committed to continually evaluating our efforts to offer the best food at the most reasonable prices for our students.”
Dining plans provide from 10 meal servings per week to unlimited meal servings per week. Each dining plan also includes “Flex Dollars.” Flex dollars can be used to purchase a la carte items at any of the 24 dining locations across campus and may be carried over from the fall to spring semester.
Due to record enrollment and high demand for on-campus housing, the Board of Trustees also approved a plan to seek legislative authority for the construction of Phase IV of the university’s student housing project, which began in 2011.
The approval authorizes UK to negotiate and enter into a pre-development agreement and a long-term lease with Greystar Real Estate for the development and management of a proposed $81 million four-story building for undergraduate students that will include approximately 644 beds and be located at the former site of the Kirwan/Blanding complex.
Kentucky Today