The proposed costs of next year’s housing fees are part of a complex budget, said Bill Schnackel, director of housing and dining, at the Residence Hall Association meeting Thursday.

In other business, RHA debated a new student scholarship program and the newspaper program, nominated a new treasurer and recognized problems and successes in housing.

Schnackel attended the meeting to answer questions from members about where exactly the money for next year’s housing costs would be going.

“We have two large pools of money that are in the categories of commodities and contractual to help cover different costs,” Schnackel said. “We try and maintain our money for major repairs and commodities. It is not an either or situation.”

Under the proposed rate increases, University Court, university apartments and residence hall rates would rise about 3 percent, while meal plans would rise 14 to 16 percent. The Student Senate Jan. 18 approved the increase in housing rates for University Court and university apartments, but delayed the recommendation for the residence halls and dining services.

Many RHA members were opposed to the new student scholarship program and the way the newspaper program, which supplies residence halls with The Chicago Tribune, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and USA Today, is being run, but some approved of the program as well.

“I think that the newspaper system is a brilliant idea,” said Mike Walsh, Thomas Hall representative. “The price for housing will have to increase sometime, so why not now? As for the new student scholarship, enrollment is down right now, and anything we can do to promote Eastern is a positive thing.”

Also, Tara Whittington was nominated as treasurer for this semester.

The RHA and the Student Senate are co-sponsoring a forum about housing concerns at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lumpkin Hall Room 29. Anyone with housing questions, problems or suggestions is encouraged to attend.

RHA members also made complaints about McKinney Hall’s heat not working and Taylor Hall’s lounge television not working. Requests were made for grass outside of Weller Hall and coffee tables in Thomas Hall.

However, not all of the comments made about housing were negative. RHA members were thankful for the installation of ethernet connections, fixed showers in Thomas Hall and a shower curtain that was installed for the public shower in Douglas Hall.