The Government of the Student Body voted to preserve the current status of Buchanan Hall as a dormitory that caters primarily to an adult student population.

GSB senators voted 23-5, with four abstentions, on the resolution Wednesday night.

Currently, students must be at least 21 years old to live in Buchanan Hall. The majority of the building’s residents are graduate, international and nontraditional students.

The Department of Residence is planning an extensive renovation of Buchanan Hall that will close the building for the next academic year.

Students with at least a sophomore status may be allowed to live in Buchanan if there are not enough older students to fill the building after the renovation is completed.

“We have no objection to a residence hall dedicated to graduate students or students over 21 as long as we can fill it,” said Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence.

“I’m just kind of doubtful that will be the case.”

This year only about two-thirds of Buchanan is occupied; last year the building was filled to 85 percent of its capacity.

About 15 Buchanan residents attended the GSB meeting to speak on behalf of the building’s future.

“Simply no one knows about it,” said Ulonda Mills, senior in political science and Buchanan resident. “It needs to be advertised more. That’s the main problem.”

Buchanan has not been renovated since the facility opened in 1964. The property was originally donated to the university in the 1960s as a home for international students.

Edward Zechmann, GSB graduate student senator, said Buchanan will be more inhabitable and will attract a greater number of older students after the renovation.

“Right now there are many vacant rooms that could be occupied,” Zechmann said. “Many Buchanan Hall residents feel it could be filled to capacity with residents 21 and older after the renovation.”

Buchanan residents said they fear the building will lose its unique academic and social environment if younger students are allowed to move into the community after the renovation.

Melissa Brunia, Buchanan Hall resident and alternative housing senator-elect, said she returned to Iowa State as an adult student and Buchanan provided the type of living arrangement she was looking for.

“I was 23, and I didn’t want to live with freshmen,” Brunia said. “It was a nice, quiet facility. There’s a very strong sense of community.”

Alexander said the Department of Residence will continue to seek student input on the future of Buchanan Hall, but said he doubts the building can be completely filled by students 21 and older.

He said older students usually prefer to have their own room, and the majority of the rooms in Buchanan Hall are doubles.

“I just don’t believe we will fill the double rooms,” Alexander said. “I think if you open it up to sophomores, you will definitely fill it.”

Kathy Zaimes, Buchanan Hall president and GSB alternative housing senator, said the building’s community has a diverse population of adult students.

“It’s a unique environment we have there,” Zaimes said.

“We can interact with people from all over the world.”