The student senate heard presentations on a 4% increase in room and board fees, upcoming dorm renovation plans and a funding request from career services Wednesday.  

Current rates for residence hall and Greek court rooms as well as meal plans for the 2025-26 will increase by 4%, according to Executive Director of University Housing and Dining Services Mark Hudson.  

The main renovation concern for housing is bathrooms, which Hudson said students living on campus named their number one concern.

“That’s the thing that I hear more than anything else is we need more bathrooms like Ford, McKinney and Lincoln,” Hudson said.  

Those halls have pod bathrooms with a shower, toilet and sink while the bathrooms in Thomas and Taylor have amenities separated.  

Bathroom complaints also included flooring with some bathrooms having issues including bad caulk and grout as well as shower bases with stained and mismatched tiles.  

Hudson said bathroom renovations for South Quad were estimated in 2021 to be $34 million although it is likely higher today due to inflation.   

He presented two potential timelines for the renovation of Thomas and Taylor halls.   

For Thomas Hall bathrooms, renovations are estimated at $8 million.   

Other renovations wanted included adding a second elevator, updating hallways, stairways and rooms, looking for leaks in roofing, making sure that Wi-Fi is up to date, fixing any problems with the building exterior and updating all systems in the building such as plumbing, heating and electrical.   

These renovations are estimated to cost $7 million, bringing the total cost to $15 million.  

For Taylor Hall the list of renovations is the same. However, due to its size, bathroom costs are estimated to be $10 million and the rest another $10 million. This brings Taylor’s total to $20 million.  

For Thomas, the process would start next spring.  

“Our hope is that we would get the architect who will do Thomas and maybe even Taylor at the same time since the buildings are so similar in the next spring, and develop the bid documents in the fall [and] put it out for bid in the spring and for construction to start in the late fall of 2027, being able to have the first students walk in the fall of 2028,” Hudson said.  

The process would happen a year later for Taylor. It would have students go from each as renovations start.  

The budget requires a bond to pay for renovations, Hudson said.  

“The bond market will give us $15 million upfront. So, we’d be able to get this process going and make that happen over committing to $1 million for 25 years,” Hudson said.  

For Thomas Hall, bond will be paid back with a $960,000 bond payment at 4% interest. 

Taylor would be paid back a $1.28 million bond also at 4%. Taylor will also be paid off from funding from customers, which is 80% room and board fees.  

The resolution to approve the increase has been tabled until next meeting on March 12.  

The senate also heard a presentation concerning the funding for the 2025-2026 career services budget by its director Bobbi Kingery.  

The recommended allocation is $25,000.  

EIU career services works with current students and alumni on their career planning and goals. It also runs job fairs as well as has its workers meet one on one with students to discuss career planning.  

Career services have had issues in getting funding, Kingery said. Career services used to be self-funded and were able to not have to ask the university for money but that has changed.  

“As times change and computers came in and some of the methods we use, we’ve never come up with a good way to financially support our department, so that’s why we are coming to you,” said Kingery to the senate.  

While some positions are funded by the university, not all are.  

“My office support specialist has been unfunded since last May,” Kingery said. “My vice president pays for a graduate assistant in career services, but I may not be able to have that money next year, so I may lose another position in my office.”   

Student workers also must be covered by the budget given by the senate, according to Kingery.  

Members of the senate had high praise for career services.  

“I just wanted to thank you for all you do,” said senator Emilee Boyd. “I attended the education job fair. I really enjoyed that.” 

VPSA Mason Tegeler was upset by how little money career services is given.  

“You know somebody like Bobbi [Kingery] who is devoted to supporting us has to come and panhandle and beg for money, that is terrible,” Tegeler said.  

Parliamentarian Megan Fox shared this sentiment.   

“I think it’s a little appalling that you have to come here and beg for money because this is a service that is life-changing,” Fox said. “This is something that goes underappreciated and goes underused, and we need to make sure that we approve this funding.”  

The bill has been tabled until the next student senate meeting on March 12.  

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.