For most, the campus looks and feels like home once fees are paid, books are purchased and a few classes have been attended. This year though, the settling in process has been in a holding pattern due to an administrative decision involving TCI Cable Company of Ames.

This year’s dormitory policy handbook allows two options in the purchase of cable television. The first gives every resident the opportunity to hook-up individual cable to his or her personal television. The second allows a house to purchase a group rate with TCI and gain a substantial savings at the end of the month.

The floors in the residence halls vote on whether or not they would like to get cable. After the votes are tallied by the house president, it is determined if cable will be installed.

Robin Rasmussen, president of Merchant House, said, “Eighty percent of the floor must vote ‘yes’ in order to get cable.”

Once the floor decides to get cable, they can pay month by month for a semester, pay month by month for a year, or pay in advance for a year. Installation for the bulk rate is free, but installation is $19.75 for a room on a floor that does not get the bulk rate. This installation rate is the same for all of Ames.

Tricia Detje, president of O’Brien House has residents constantly asking her when they will be getting cable. “It’s a big rip-off. Some houses already have cable.”

Detje and many other house presidents found that getting full support for cable is impossible and without full house support most houses simply don’t get cable.

Detje said, “Right now, it looks like we won’t be getting it.” There has been an effort to enlist everyone’s support for cable, but she found that there is not enough support for a group rate.

If the floor opts to pay by the month for a year, each room must pay $9.40 per month. If the option chosen is to pay for a full year in advance, the monthly cost is $9.10 per room per month. These two options are cheaper than the third of paying month by month for a semester, which is $11.70 per room per month.

Kristene Rasmussen, a freshman in Miller House said, “I am glad my floor decided to get cable because the reception is 100 percent better. I can see the people talking now, instead of only hearing them like it was before.”

If a floor decides not to get cable, then it’s much more expensive for students to go by themselves and install cable. As mentioned before, installation is $19.75. For basic cable only, the rate per month is $10.10. For basic and expanded cable, it is another $12.44, making the total $22.54 per month.

Katherine Fischer, a freshman in Merchant House, said, “It’s no big deal. It would’ve been nice but also a waste of money.”

Sally Besch, Fischer’s sophomore roommate, agreed. “I’ve got plenty of other things to do, and I don’t have the time to sit and watch television. It wouldn’t have been worth the money.”

At the University of Northern Iowa cable is a campus-wide service and is in all dormitory rooms. On each student’s university bill along with their computer fee is a debit for cable service.