-f The Aletheia, Page 3
On Campus Prices
Push Some Elsewhere
By Josh Schatzle
The price of living on campus will
be going up again next year. Room and
board costs, currently at $3,752.00 per
year, will rise to $3,940.00 next year. With
the charge of room and board on the rise,
students may look at off-campus op
tions in terms of saving money.
According to Dirk Wilmoth, Vice
President for Finance and Information
Technology at Montreat, the cost of room
and board are quite reasonable. In com
parison to other state independent
schools. Montreat’s room and board cost
is almost $250.00 below the average.
The cost for on-campus living can
be attributed to universal utilities such as
phone and cable use, which though in
cluded in the cost at Montreat, would be
left to the student to pay individually at
many other colleges.
The cost of board is determined for
the most part by Aramark, which is in
contract with Montreat as the food ser
vice provider. The meal price plus main
tenance becomes the students boarding
charge.
This year’s rising costs can be at
tributed to Aramark’s 3% markup, as
well as additions and improvements to
the dorms.
“By next year”, says Wilmoth, “the
dorms will be equipped with a universal
direct Internet link, that’s the plan.”
Currently students can only access the
Internet through private suppliers for a
fee. Next year, however, students will
have unlimited access to the Internet
without charge.
But, Internet access is hardly the
leader on the list of complaints given by
dorm residents. Instead, students com
plain of problems ranging from bug in
festations of a wide variety, to overbear
ing RA’s and RD’s.
Other students find the cafeteria’s
food to be lacking. Senior Scott Robson
expressed, “For what we are paying this
Yearbook Makes A Come Back
By Lisa Griffin
For the first time in three years, the
college will produce a campus yearbook.
Dave Sperry advises a staff of five
people and Zola Griffin heads up the
group as the editor-in chief. The staff
members are Amy Buckner, Elizabeth
Baker, Zhanna Goroshko, and Christ!
Waddell.
In the past, yearbook sales have
been relatively low in number, this year
that problem will be solved by giving the
yearbooks to students free of charge.
Women’s basketball star. Crystal
Lingerfelt commented, “I think that giv
ing them free is a wonderful idea, that
way no one gets left out.”
The yearbook will include class pic
tures, sports teams, and other various
student activities.
Senior Erin Broome laments, “1 think
it’s great and all, but I didn’t even have
my picture made.”
College identification pictures will be
used for students who did not have their
picture taken.
There was talk of offering a make
up photo opportunity for students who
for whatever reason missed the first one.
Interested students were asked to sign
up in the cafeteria.
Due to lack of interest there will not
be a make-up session.
Students seem to be pleased at the
prospect of having a yearbook again.
Amy Harkleroad, Tennessee native,
heartily expressed, “I am really excited
about having a yearbook for my senior
year here at Montreat, I want to be able
to remember everyone just as they are
now.”
Junior Will Mangum agreed, “I think
that it is important to have a lasting
memory of one’s collegiate years.”
Anyone who wants to submit an old
school picture (no snapshots) to be used
in the yearbook is welcome to send those
to Zola Griffin via campus mail, box 120,
before Wednesday March 5.
school for our meal plan we should re
ceive a better quality meal.”
Sophomore Stephanie Italiano, SGA
representative, responded, “I have little
sympathy for those who complain about
the quality of food here. We’ve held
numerous food committee meetings, and
very few if any students attend.” In re
gard to the dorm situation, Italiano also
had comments. “In every dorm on this
campus there is living some bug popula
tion, whether it be wasps in Davis, to
ants in Anderson. Something needs to
be done about these problems.”
Still, some students have found that
living off-campus can be quite afford
able. With a roommate splitting the cost
of an apartment, or house, one can ex
pect to pay approximately $200.00 a
month, plus a fee for utilities.
Also, there is the cost of food to
consider, unless one desires the meal
plan which is available without cost of
room at $1,668.00. Off-campus Se
nior Jon Abel says , “There are pros
and cons to living on your own. There is
the needed quiet time away from the
bustling school activity. But on the down
side, you feel out of touch with school
events.”
In terms of providing for the costs
of food and living, Jon stated, “Food is
cheap, I spend maybe $50 to $60 a
month.”
Other students’ estimations for food
cost are similar, from $60 to $100
monthly. A survey of utilities proved the
same, approximately $50 to $75 monthly.
Using these figures, the cost of living off-
campus can be determined at or about
$3000.00 for a year, assuming $200 rent,
$ 100 food, and $7 5 utility.