The Residence Hall Association is looking into changing the cable contract to accommodate for high definition televisions on campus.

Around two years ago, the RHA looked into the possibility of having high definition televisions on campus, Director of University Housing Tom Kane said.

“I don’t know where we’re going,” Kane said. “I’m depending on people who use it more than me, the students, because technology is moving faster than I can keep up.”

The university has had the same cable contract since the 1980s.

“If 2,000 students stream using the current system, it’s enough to shut it down,” Kane said.

But university housing is re-examining the contract because bandwidth is about to be expanded, Kane said.

After discussion with cable services, housing found the most realistic idea is to add boxes to television in forms. Students will have the option to buy these boxes so the university would not be liable for any damages done, Kane said.

Housing fees would go up, but not tuition, RHA Vice President Shannon Wright said.

Wright said an estimated increase would be $100 per year.

But when a student purchases a box, it is theirs. So, students have the option to resell the boxes once they move off campus, Wright said.

Students will have the option to opt out of buying the box.

However, although housing is looking into rebidding a contract, it would be for five years. By then, boxes could be obsolete.

If the campus does not upgrade to high definition televisions, students will continue to lose channels until the contract is eventually broken, Matthew Beauchamp, RHA secretary, said.

“At a time when everyone is talking about wanting to save money, is this an area that we want to go into?” Kane said.

Kane said to RHA that if students are still interested that housing can continue to look into it.

Story: LINDSAY BOOKOUT, News Reporter