The Inter-Residence Hall Association will vote tonight on whether to implement a newspaper program which would start next fall.

For a Monday through Friday subscription, the cost will be $10 as opposed to a $17 charge for Sunday through Friday. The USA Today and the Des Moines Register are already agreed upon as well as two additional choices from the Ames Tribune, the New York Times or the Chicago Tribune.

Union Drive Association At-Large David Boike said he is interested to see what happens. It will be up to parliament to fill in the blanks as well as to decide on whether or not to implement the program at all.

“I feel it has been a good program. I am in support of the $10 option, I feel as though the $17 option is a little too much to put on the students,” said Boike, author of the bill. “My constituents are generally in support of it; I hope it will pass.”

UDA President Rick Cordaro said he took a straw poll last Monday while providing all the senators with all of the research information and readership numbers. He said an overwhelming majority was in support of the program.

“The USA Today Readership Program is a quality of life improvement,” Cordaro said. “The fee is not inflationary, a new service is being offered. I personally feel that the program reflects Iowa State’s values such as learning, keeping current in current events and self involvement.”

Cordaro said that UDA spoke up loud and clear in that they want the $10 option with the New York Times and Chicago Tribune as the optional papers instead of the Ames Tribune.

Also at the meeting, the IRHA will vote to approve its budget, and a funding bill will be proposed to bring comedienne Margaret Cho to campus.

IRHA Vice President Steve Skutnik said forums for the executive slates are taking place this week.

One will be held at 5 tonight in the Wallace-Wilson Conference Room of Towers Residence Association, and another in Richardson Court Association at a date to be determined.

The Web site address for the online elections will be www.vote.iastate.edu