The cost of living on campus has risen by about 3 percent from last year to this year, according to a UF Department of Housing and Residence Education administrator.
Sharon Blansett, assistant to the associate vice president for student affairs, said the increase in rental rates for dorms will cover increases in utility costs, increases in staff salaries and fringe benefits.
The extra charges will also help fund a furniture replacement plan and a facility renovation and repair plan.
Dorm rates increased by an average of $66 per semester. Graduate and family housing rates increased by $15 to $30 per month, or an average of 3 percent to 4.3 percent, Blansett said.
Semester rental rates for double rooms range from $1,953 for non-air-conditioned rooms in Buckman Hall and Thomas Hall to $3,069 rooms in Hume Hall.
Animal sciences sophomore Rachel Fishman heard about the rent increase from her roommate, who was upset with the change. Fishman said she thought her roommate said their Fletcher Hall dorm would cost about $200 more.
Fishman said she is not particularly angry about the extra cost and knew she would be paying more this year than her Fletcher Hall room last year.
"I feel like they should've told us when we signed up for rooms, but they probably didn't know," she said.
Blansett said the information was released in the spring after the UF Board of Trustees approved it.
Rental rates are the same for students who sign semester and year contracts, Blansett said.
Also, UF's Department of Housing and Residence Education supports itself and does not receive tax money, Blansett said.
The utility cost increases facing the department include an 11-percent increase in hazardous waste disposal costs, a 3-percent increase in trash service costs and a 3-percent increase in television costs.
The increase in staff salary and fringe benefits costs is projected to be 3 percent, Blansett said.
Freshmen Feriha Bilgen, biology major, and Alyssa Sicard, art major, study in their dorm room after their classes on the second day of the Fall 2011 semester.
