There is one thing that constantly is a factor of college life. We’re not talking about tests, homework or partying.

We’re talking about increased costs.

It costs more to attend college each year.

If it’s not $80 books they don’t let you return, it’s the Board of Regents wanting to raise tuition again. But this time, it’s on-campus housing.

After the Department of Residence did some figuring, they’ve put forward a proposal to raise the cost of room and board by 6.8 percent.

Living in a standard double room and purchasing a full meal plan costs students in the residence halls $3,647 for the 1997-98 school year.

Raising the overall cost would add about $250 onto your U-bill.

The question here, as usual, is why does the Department of Residence want to increase room and board costs?

Randy Alexander, the department’s director, said Iowa State on-campus housing needs more money in its reserve account.

These reserves are outside the regular budget and necessary in case of emergencies or “major capital jobs,” Alexander added.

Currently, ISU has $4.5 million in its reserve, which is less than that of other Iowa schools, Alexander said.

Of the proposed increase, 3.95 percent would go to normal increases in residence hall costs, while the remaining would be deposited in reserves.

Alexander cites that the older structures of ISU residence halls makes it necessary to keep a reserve as financial padding.

However, there is a larger issue here.

If the costs of living in the residence halls keep increasing, more students will be encouraged to move off campus.

That would be a blow to the residence halls because not only would the university’s incoming money decrease, the voice of students in the residence halls would weaken.

With more than a third of all ISU students living off campus, raising residence hall cost, and thus, on campus decreasing residents, is harmful.

Although it is each student’s individual choice where to live, a 6.8 percent increase to live on campus is simply enticing students to move off.

After all, money is an important matter.