Following recent lavish housing upgrades in residential halls, the MSU Board of Trustees decided Friday to increase housing costs by 6 percent for the 2003-04 academic year.

The increased costs come during a questionable time, as the university recently spent $12 million on new amenities in Shaw Hall - hexagonal sink islands, garbage disposals, motion-sensor lights, automatic flushing toilets, shower changing stalls and, of course, hot tubs.

A student living in a double-occupancy room with a 15-meal food plan in the fall will pay $5,230 instead of the $4,932 price expected when he or she signed up in the spring semester.

Though university officials note MSU's housing costs are near the bottom of the Big Ten, they might be pricing dorm rooms out of the East Lansing market.

With lucrative options developing in Bath Township and Lansing, students can pinch their pennies and still retire to luxury workout facilities and pools across city lines.

The university has a responsibility to offer affordable housing while still being competitive by offering reasonable facilities. Not to burst the university's bubble, but hot tubs are not the answer; try cheaper room-and-board costs.

As the pioneer land grant institution, MSU needs to keep the cost of higher education in mind. Students who lack funds to attend college shouldn't be deprived of their collegiate experiences while money is being spent on items such as hot tubs in dorm bathrooms.

It's also in the university's best interest to retain student interest in campus dormitories. Keeping students on campus encourages fewer Spartans to drive and clog the university's traffic arteries.

For now, students should reap benefits of off-campus housing and avoid the higher campus-housing costs. Places such as Melrose Apartments and Sterling University Court offer bigger bedrooms and personal bathrooms.

The university shouldn't be spending money on useless accessories and instead should be working to make on-campus living more affordable for its students.