Members of the 2011 Class Council are leading a movement to bring the Bravo channel to AU's cable lineup.
Bravo, a channel owned by NBC Universal, features shows like "Project Runway" and "Top Chef."
Josh Casey, president of the Class of 2011, said that he looked into adding the channel in AU residence halls after hearing requests from his constituents.
Casey said he met with Housing and Dining Programs Executive Director Chris Moody to discuss the possibility of including the channel.
The process is only in the research phase, Moody said.
"I would like to see this happen," he said. "Those genres are not represented currently on our cable line-up."
Students would need to give up two channels to receive Bravo and the Independent Film Channel, which come as a package, Moody said. Housing and Dining is still trying to determine which channels they would cut.
"Taking things away from people is not very easy," he said.
Elise Bernlohr, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she used to watch "Project Runway" before living on campus.
"TV is not important, but I'd be all in favor of getting the Bravo network," she said. "It's strange because we have a lot of channels like NASA that aren't so conventional."
Moody said he asked the university to get a cost quote last week and will talk to the Student Government and Residence Hall Association about sharing the bill.
"There is a budget surplus in the [SG] right now," Casey said. "I don't think there's a problem with footing the bill."
Students will ultimately pay for the new channel, whether the money comes from the SG, RHA or Housing and Dining, he said.
Moody said he wants to make sure there is genuine student interest in the new channels before investing in including them.
"We hear a lot from students, 'Wouldn't it be great to have this,'" he said.
Moody said the channel needs to have long-term appeal to AU students.
After meeting with Moody, Casey organized a petition to get student support for Bravo. Students collected about 345 signatures in two hours in Mary Graydon Center, he said.
"We should be entitled to whatever programming we want," Casey said.
Ruthie Dreyer, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she didn't care if she could watch Bravo and IFC.
"To be honest, it doesn't make a difference," she said.
Casey said he plans to meet with Moody again next week and hopes to bring Bravo to AU before the end of the semester.
"If it can be done, it should be done," he said. "I'm glad I've been able to bring it to the front here"
