Students living in the residence halls may have the opportunity to stay in their rooms during mid-term breaks next year.

Randy Alexander, director of Residence, was scheduled to present a plan to the Inter-Residence Hall Association Thursday night that would keep the halls open over Thanksgiving and spring breaks.

Alexander said the change has been suggested to accommodate students who wish to stay in Ames during the breaks.

“We’ve got many students who want to stay, and so many more that, if it were part of the rate, they would stay,” he said.

Residents currently must leave the halls by the Saturday following the last day of class before Thanksgiving and spring breaks.

For students who work locally, this sometimes presents a problem.

Only students living in continuous housing can stay in the residence halls over breaks. There are currently 950 spaces on continuous floors, said David Popelka, assistant director of business for the Department of Residence.

Continuous housing costs an additional $180 per academic year. Under the new plan, Alexander said, all students living in the residence halls would pay an additional $15 per year, and all of the halls would be open during weeks of mid-term recesses.

However, food service would not be available during the breaks, Alexander said.

“We couldn’t add food service for [$15]. That would raise [the rate] quite [a bit],” he said.

IRHA President Ben Chamberlain said he anticipates many students would stay for a few days after classes ended and before they resumed.

“A lot of times, I found myself that it would be kind of nice if I could stick around a couple more days,” he said. “It would help on both ends of the break.”

Alexander said the halls would operate under a reduced staff during the weeks of break.

Under their current contracts, some hall directors are required to be around during breaks.

A resident assistant staff would be present in each of the halls during breaks.

Although RAs are not bound by contract to stay in their residences, Alexander said he did not think the Department of Residence would have trouble recruiting people to stay.

RAs would volunteer to stay during break and be paid extra for their time, he said.

Alexander said during his experience at another institution, they always had more residence assistant staff than they needed.

“We always had more people who needed to stay for some reason anyway, and they were glad to get paid for it,” he said.