Room Rents Raised

Dormitory room rents at Dartmouth will be raised over the next two years, it was announced last month by John F. Meek '33, Treasurer and Vice President of the College. The increase, voted at the last meeting of the Board of Trustees, will average about 22% for the year 1957-58, with a further increase of undetermined size to be applied the following year.

Rising costs of dormitory operations, including fuel, supplies and labor, were cited by Mr. Meek as reasons for the increase. Dartmouth's dormitories have been financed for over fifty years as endowment fund investments. The return on other investments averages 4%, but the return from dormitory rentals is only 1.5%.

While next year's rents will be 22% higher on the average, the increases for individual students will vary in amount from $10 to 170, with the average rent rising from $230 to $280 per year. These increases will be taken into account in determining the amount of scholarship awards next year, Mr. Meek said.

Higher charges for 1958-59 will be arrived at in the light of actual operating costs next year. The extent to which overcrowding in the present dorms is relieved by the new dormitories now under construction will also figure in the calculations for that year.

The College has increased dormitory rentals twice in the past ten years, in 1948 and again in 1954. No increases for board in the College dining halls will be made in 1957-58, Mr. Meek reported.