Students could see an even steeper cost of attending NIU next year.

The NIU Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on proposed increases to student fees and room and board costs.

The proposal recommends hiking total student fees 5.5 percent, which would mean undergraduate students registered in 12 or more credit hours would pay an extra $58.88 next fall.

The BOT will also vote on a proposal to raise room and board rates in the NIU residence halls. If the proposal passes, the cost of rooms will increase by about 13 percent. The cost of a double room in Grant Towers, for instance, would increase by $296 per semester.

Dining plans in the dorms, however, will remain the same. NIU President John Peters said the room and board hike would help fund the installation of new sprinkler systems, utility cost increases and staff that will be paid more due to the state’s increased minimum wage.

Last year, the BOT approved a 5.6 increase in student fees. Like last year’s increase, athletics, busing and health insurance costs are the top increase proposals.

Last spring, the BOT voted to reduce student health insurance from $1 million to $250,000, despite raising the cost to students by 13 percent. This year, the BOT proposes to add another 7 percent increase, which would put a $350 price tag on insurance for full-time students.