Housing & Meal Plan Rates

Each year rates are developed by estimating operating costs for the upcoming year by looking at expenses like utilities, minimum wage increases, debt payments, construction projects, and staff wages and/or benefits. HRL does not have control over these expenses, which typically cost more every year. 

The Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Housing & Residence Life proposes housing rates to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The President’s Cabinet reviews all rate and fee rates, and changes are presented to the Student Government Association at the spring Fee Forum.  Any increases in rates are also approved by the University of Maryland system.

The costs of operating HRL are distributed among the students who use the program's services; they are not paid for by students who do not benefit directly. University housing serves approximately 5,000 residents each academic year. Because not all Towson University students benefit from the Housing & Residence Life program, the costs of the program are paid for by residential students through their housing occupancy charges and fees. HRL does not receive any money from the larger university budget or from the state of Maryland. 

On-campus residents also benefit from services and supports that are not currently paid through their housing charges.  For example, residential students benefit from services provided by TUPD, IT and other offices in ways that non-residential students do not.  Costs like these are typically called “overhead” and on most campuses they are included in housing expenses as a percentage of the overall HRL budget.