UNIVERSITY MAY CLOSE 35-YEAR-OLD DORMITORY

Southeast Missouri State University wants to close one of its residence halls and raise room and board charges for the remaining dorms by about 5 percent.

The proposal will be considered by the Board of Regents when it meets Monday. The board also will be asked to hike tuition by $4 a credit-hour for in-state students and $8 a credit-hour for out-of-state students.

School officials say there aren't enough students living on campus to warrant keeping Dearmont residence hall open for the 1995-96 academic year.

Currently, only 155 students live in the 35-year-old building, a 57 percent occupancy rate.

Dearmont, was built to accommodate about 400 students, but much of the space has been converted into university offices in recent years. Today, it has space for only 272 students.

The closing would save slightly more than $200,000 in utilities and other operating costs. University offices would remain in the building.

Dr. SueAnn Strom, vice president of student affairs, said the move would help keep room and board charges in check.

Still, students are concerned about spiraling student fees. They say it is cheaper to live off campus.

Depending on the dorm and the meal plan, students would pay between $3,500 and $5,200 to live on campus next school year.

Student James Vaughn lives in Towers West, but he is considering moving off campus because of the proposed hike in room and board charges.

"It is cheaper to rent an apartment off campus and even cook your meals than it is to live on campus," he said.

Sophomore Rebecca Kilgore moved into an off-campus apartment about a year ago, in part to save money.

"If you cook your own meals, it is a lot cheaper," she said.

Even with the closing of Dearmont, it is estimated that nearly one-fourth of dorm beds will be empty over the course of the year.

With the closing of Dearmont and the opening of a renovated Towers North, the school is projecting a 77 percent occupancy rate in campus housing.

School officials said 1,575 of the 2,059 beds are expected to be filled next year. The occupancy rate typically is higher at the start of the fall semester.

The occupancy rate for the newly renovated Towers North and Towers West are projected at 96 percent.

School officials said the proposed hikes in room and board charges are needed to fund operating costs and pay for about $300,000 in repairs and renovations to the residence halls.

Student charges pay the bulk of the $7.56 million annual cost of operating the residence halls.

The proposed hike in room and board charges also reflects the fact there are fewer students living in the dorms than in past years.

Currently, fewer than 1,500 of the 7,200 students enrolled this semester live on campus.

"Obviously, if we had more students in the halls, that would allow us to keep rates a little lower," Strom said.

Some students have suggested the school not only close Dearmont, but also Cheney Hall, in an effort to limit a hike in room and board charges.

But residence life director Carol Coventry said Cheney only accommodates 123 people.

"When you close a building that small, the saving isn't really that much," she said.

School officials said the closing of Dearmont won't eliminate any staff positions because the Towers North residence hall will be reopened. The high-rise dorm has been closed this school year for major renovations.