If Iowa State President Martin Jischke gives his OK on a new continuous housing plan, all students will be able to stay in their residence hall rooms during spring and Thanksgiving breaks starting next year.

The Inter-Residence Hall Association passed a bill for a new continuous housing plan by majority vote at Thursday’s meeting.

The bill, which was passed 23-1, will allow any student to stay in his or her room during the breaks due to a $15 charge to every resident’s room and board fees.

Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence, said he was “pretty sure” IRHA would vote “yes” to the continuous housing proposal after presenting it to the organization at its Jan. 28 meeting.

“When I presented it to them last week, their response seemed to be pretty positive,” he said. “The reason I suggested it [is because] we have more and more students who want to stay over breaks.”

IRHA president Ben Chamberlain said the plan would be useful to students.

“Just being able to stick around a few days [is helpful],” said Chamberlain, senior in agricultural studies. “A lot of students would rather not go home for that time.”

Alexander said he anticipates most students will take advantage of the opportunity.

“I think for most students it will be a good idea,” he said. “There’s just a variety of students who want to stay, for whatever reason, just for a few days, and at $15 a year, it’s a pretty good deal.”

Kirsten Greenough, Westgate Hall representative, agreed that the new plan is a good one.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for everyone to have access to the dorms without much hassle,” said Greenough, sophomore in elementary education. “I think [residents] will make good use of it.”

Chamberlain said most of the residents he talked to also were in favor of the proposal.

“There was one floor in Towers that was not in favor of it,” he said. “But overall, the feelings I have been getting have been very positive.”

All IRHA representatives present at the meeting are listed as authors of the bill, except Knapp Hall representative Jonathon Weaver, who voted against the bill.

Weaver, sophomore in education, said a lot of people he talked to were in favor of the plan, but there was strong opposition from one of the houses he represented.

“The number of people who felt strongly against it that I represent outweighed the people that did not feel strongly either way,” he said.

Chamberlain said a negative side of the bill could be the cost for students who do not choose to stay during any of the breaks. However, for those residents who take advantage of the new plan, $15 is not a lot to pay, he said.

“You can hardly call [the cost] a downside,” he said.

With the current continuous housing plan, students pay an extra $180 to stay during breaks.

Students in continuous housing during winter break will continue to have an additional charge and be assigned to specific buildings with next year’s plan.

“I think what we’ll see is more students staying than have in the past, because now they don’t have to come up with the money to be able to do it,” Alexander said.

Alexander said the Department of Resident probably will not make any money off the plan.