Community Advisers are currently working with administrators to improve their compensation packages.Currently, CAs receive free housing, but according to Gordon Hall CA Andrew Eilbert '08, adding meal plans to the compensation would improve the plan. Eilbert said although Reslife officials hope to reform the compensation plan by next fall, the department may not have the funds to do so.

Eilbert, who will be a CA next year for the third time, first approached Reslife Director Richard DeCapua last January with a proposal for changing the compensation.

"The CAs, in my opinion, are the hardest working group of student leaders we have," DeCapua said. "We owe it to our CAs every year to look at how we're compensating them."

Eilbert said CA-student relations would improve if their meal plans were covered by the University because they would be more likely to eat in dining halls and interact with other students.

Reslife officials have been researching how other schools compensate students who work in residence halls.

"There are a lot of schools that do offer more than [compensation for housing]," Eilbert said. "Their compensation for their resident assistants works well, and why can't we also look into incorporating that for our institution?"

DeCapua said that among colleges in the Boston area and the University Athletic Association, of which Brandeis is a member, resident advisors receive a variety of compensation plans, including meal plans and stipends beyond the cost of housing. Some schools have tiered systems, in which returning staff members receive more money or compensation than newer staff.

DeCapua said some schools even offer their RAs tickets to athletic events for their work. He said the University is considering providing the CAs with Brandeis-specific benefits, such as parking passes.

"We always want to make sure we're making it worthwhile for [the CAs]. [Being a CA] can be very trying for a full-time student," DeCapua said.

Residence Life next year will add another CA in the Charles River apartments, and the department recently hired an assistant director for off-campus housing.