Maple Hall could be the wave of the future for Iowa State residence halls.

After complete renovations, Maple Hall will be re-opening in the fall as a “test site” for new policies that may be used in other Richardson Court Association and Union Drive Association residence halls.

Director of Residence Randy Alexander said one of the changes will be an alcohol-free policy enforced in the hall.

“We have other alcohol-free areas, but we don’t have any alcohol-free buildings,” he said. “We will have some students who would have lived in Maple but won’t because of the alcohol policy.”

The building will house three-fourths freshmen and one-fourth upperclassmen. The residence hall was made alcohol free because such a large percentage of the residents will be under age, he said.

Lynn Meyer, future hall director for Maple, said the “biggest change is the visitation policy.”

No guests of the opposite sex will be allowed in the rooms between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. Mondays through Fridays.

On Saturdays and Sundays, no guests of the opposite sex will be allowed in the rooms between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m.

In designated areas, such as the study room, 24-hour visitation will be permitted.

Maple Hall will be different in structure than Larch or Willow halls. Each floor will have a kitchen, computer lab and study room. There also will be a sink in every room and more privacy in the bathrooms, Alexander said.

The building also will have more staff on hand to assist students.

“The needs of freshmen differ to the needs of older students,” Alexander said. “Juniors and seniors don’t need the same level of assistance as freshmen.”

Anyone interested in living in Maple Hall will need to file a separate application. Freshmen will be chosen randomly.

Upperclassmen who would like to apply for residence in Maple Hall must meet several criteria. They must have at least a 2.5 GPA, campus involvement and no serious disciplinary record.

“We believe upper-class students have a tremendous impact on younger students,” he said.

Meyer said she feels the new policies will help students succeed academically.

“This environment is set up so first-year students feel a part of this institution,” she said. “I think it’s an exciting new opportunity.”

There will be a 12 percent cost increase for rooms in Maple Hall compared to similar rooms in Willow and Larch halls.

A regular double room in Maple Hall will cost an extra $266 a year, and a suite will cost an additional $390 a year.

“Students want some things in the building,” Alexander said, “and they are willing to pay for it.”

Meyer said many incoming freshmen have showed an interest in living in Maple Hall.

“For the last week, I have been flooded with calls from first-year students who think this is a great opportunity,” she said.

Alexander said the department’s research shows that students want the features that the new Maple Hall will have.

“I don’t think we will have any problems filling the building,” he said.