BOSTON -- There could be changes in store for Boston College students, as officials at the Chestnut Hill university consider a ban on off-campus housing.

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that for many upper-classmen, living off-campus is a privilege. The president of Boston College, however, said he's considering a formal ban on students renting apartments in one- and two-family homes once the college finishes its $800 million renovations.

"We are proposing to build two new dormitories in the Brighton area -- one a 200-bed dormitory and one a 300-bed dormitory," said Jack Dunn, of Boston College.

School officials said the rental properties around the college present problems with overcrowding and noisy parties.

Bringing all the students onto campus would the enhance the quality of campus life, BC president William Leahy told the Boston Herald.

"It will be a really beneficial thing to the campus, I think. It will put us in a league with other schools," student Alison Rush said.

Students caught living off-campus could face penalties if they were caught making trouble. Under BC's expansion plan, the college plans to build 600 new dorm rooms and put a ban on some rentals. It would keep 92 percent of the college's undergraduates on campus.

The ban would not go into effect until the new dorms are completed, and that will take several years.

"Our feeling is that they are better nurtured. They behave more responsibly. We are better to stimulate them better intellectually," Dunn said. "It is a benefit all around.

Expanding dorm living across Commonwealth Avenue may pose some problems.

"I think there are safety issues with kids crossing the street. It is not very well lit," Chris Napolitano said.

Officials considered building a skywalk across Commonwealth Avenue. Neighbors in the area will be invited to attend a hearing about the proposal.