Updated at 10:40 p.m. CST March 15

The Board of Regents gave preliminary approval Tuesday for the proposed room and board rate increases for the three regent universities.

If approved, ISU students can expect an average of a 2.9 percent increase in room and board for next year. The rate would increase $175 — from $5,958 to $6,133 — for a double occupancy room with full board.

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, said one reason for the increase is the projected drop in student enrollment.

According to the Governance Report on University Residence Systems submitted to the board, the university is expecting a 2.3 percent decline — 607 fewer students — living in university housing next year. According to the report, enrollment is expected to continue to decline by an additional 882 students by 2009-2010.

Hill said Iowa State would like to impose varying rate increases for students.

“Differential rates have been proposed for different housing areas based on popularity,” Hill said.

For example, he said students living in Schilletter Village would see no housing rate increase. But students living in facilities like Eaton Hall or Martin Hall would see an increase closer to 4 percent.

Hill said the department is saving money by closing residence halls, dining services and other student services.

“In order to adjust to revenue projections, we’ve adjusted staffing,” Hill said. “We have approximately 25 positions or so that will be eliminated.”

The Department of Residence is also eliminating the Fresh Start program as well as the Academic Resource Coordinator positions in the residence halls. Hill said these eliminations are expected to save between $200,000 and $300,000.

The University of Iowa is expecting to increase room and board by 3.2 percent and the University of Northern Iowa is expecting to increase room and board by 4.9 percent.

Phillip E. Jones, vice president of student services at the University of Iowa, said the university is working on a new master plan.

“We have continued our commitment to housing entering students,” Jones said. “We house probably 97 percent of incoming freshman. We’re planning to try and keep that commitment.”

The Board of Regents will vote on the room and board increases at its May meeting.

In other news:

— The board recognized Owen Newlin for 12 years of service to the board. This was his final meeting.

— The Iowa Senate has approved Michael Gartner’s appointment to the board.

— The board approved the appointments of Regent Rose Vasquez as chairwoman of the Human Resources Committee; Regent Owen Newlin as chairman of the Investment Committee, Arthur Neu and Kay Runge as members of the Iowa Public Radio Executive Council and University of Iowa Provost Michael Hogan as chairman of the Council of Provosts.