Last Wednesday The Board of Regents approved the Department of Residence’s plan for a 7.5 increase in the room and board rate. Although the regents will vote again on whether to implement the plan, it seems the decision has been made.

Students are already faced with a 3.9 percent increase in tuition for next year, but their pockets will probably be hit once again.

Randy Alexander, director of residence, said the nearly $275 increase a semester will help pay for much-needed renovations. He said most students approve of the increase because they want better living conditions.

But opposition of the sharp increase was addressed during recent Government of the Student Body elections by presidential candidate Chris Wisher.

Why did the Department of Residence wait until the residence halls were almost ready for the wrecking ball to increase room and board rates for renovations?

This couldn’t have been the first year the department realized that current room and board rates weren’t enough to cover repairs.

No building is maintenance free and able to stand forever through months of snow, wind and rain. Wear and tear is inevitable.

The Department of Residence should have been saving for a rainy day long ago, not when Maple Hall started leaking.

And who will be the ones to reap the rewards that the 7.5 percent increase will bring? Who will be the students to take advantage of bedroom suites and shared bathrooms?

Surely not those juniors who will be long gone from ISU and married with children by the time the renovations are completed. Although they may foot the bill, they won’t reap the rewards.

They will continue to live in rooms that leak and are in desperate need of painting. They will continue to live in rooms that are not up to fire code regulations and that are not handicapped accessible.

Iowa State is run like a business, but in this case, the Department of Residence overlooked saving for a rainy day for those expected leaks. Pity for them, April is just approaching.