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December 18, 2017

SVSU Board approves room and board rates for 2019-20 academic year

The Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control approved the auxiliary operations budgets for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years during the Board’s regular meeting Friday, Dec. 15.

The Board approved a $30.9 million auxiliary fund budget for the 2019 fiscal year and a $31.4 million auxiliary fund budget for the 2020 fiscal year. Auxiliary services include self-supporting campus operations such as housing, dining and conferencing.

The Board had previously approved room and board rates for the 2018-19 academic year. Incoming freshmen who reside in a Living Center unit with shared bedrooms will pay $9,786 for the upcoming year, including their meal plan; that is an increase from $9,378 currently. The increase includes an additional $150 charge to cover improvements made to the wireless network for residential students, as negotiated with the SVSU Student Association two years ago.

SVSU has changed its housing policies for students who choose to reside in the First Year Suites; all suites will now feature individual bedrooms. Students residing there will pay $10,186 next year, up from $9,874; this also includes funding the wireless improvements.

Housing rates for returning students in 2018-19 generally will remain unchanged, ranging from $4,380 to $7,430 for students whose meal plan participation is optional. The total weighted increase for the 2018-19 academic year is 1.6 percent.

For the 2019-20 academic year, incoming freshmen who reside in a Living Center unit with shared bedrooms will pay $10,030, including their meal plan. Residents in the First Year Suites will be charged $10,440. The total weighted increase for the 2019-20 academic year will be 2.4 percent.

SVSU’s housing has been recognized as the best in Michigan and No. 19 nationally, according to

the website Niche and its “Best Dorms” rankings.  Niche calculates their rankings using a weighted formula where 70 percent of a school’s score came from students’ satisfaction with their housing, as well as data from the U.S. Department of Education. The ranking assesses 1,398 four-year colleges and universities.

In other business, the Board:

  • Passed a resolution to congratulate the 2017 SVSU men’s soccer team and head coach Andy Wagstaff. The team qualified for the NCAA Division playoffs, and Wagstaff was named GLIAC Coach of the Year.
  • Passed a resolution to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees.
  • Approved sabbatical proposals for 12 faculty: David Cline, teacher education; Tony Crachiola, mathematics; Eric Gardner, English; Jaime Huffman, nursing; Art Marin, biology; Jason Pagano, chemistry; Beth Roe, nursing; Ross Singer, communication; Chris Surfield, economics; Paul Teed, history; Lee Trepanier, political science; Yu Zou, electrical and computer engineering.
  • Approved the confirmation of board members for previously authorized public school academies.
  • Approved the appointments of Bill Allen, Veronica Horn and Ryan Tarrant to the SVSU Board of Fellows, a community advisory board.
  • Approved 2 percent raises for the 2018 calendar year for executive staff. President Bachand’s salary was set at $286,200; Deb Huntley, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, will receive a salary of $228,900; and James G. Muladore, Executive Vice President for Administration and Business Affairs, will be paid $218,500.