Cost of room and board going up at public universities in Kansas

? The cost of room and board at Kansas University will increase next year by approximately 2.5 percent under a plan approved Wednesday by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The traditional arrangement of two residents per room and a typical meal plan at KU will cost $7,896 for 2014-15, $194 more than the current rate.

KU’s increase, which will be in effect for the next fall semester, was second lowest among the six regents schools.

Kansas State University will see a 3.9 percent increase; Emporia State, 3.6 percent; Pittsburg State, 3 percent; and Fort Hays State, 2.1 percent.

K-State will go from $7,610 per year to $7,910; ESU from $6,792 to $7,034; PSU from $6,734 to $6,936; and FHSU from $7,130 to $7,280.

Wichita State’s plan will be $10,164 per year but because of a new housing facility is not comparable with previous year’s rates, according to a Regents memo.

The increases are driven by anticipated inflationary costs, facility maintenance and enhancements, according to regents staff.

Even with the increase, all the Kansas schools except WSU will be below the $8,737 average room-and-board charge for four-year public institutions in the Midwest.

Approximately 5,200 students at KU live in student housing.