The Impact of Campus Housing on Student Outcomes

Abstract

This study was an explanatory research design that utilized a correlational approach to explore the relationship of residential factors with academic variables explained by first and second year grade point average (GPA), behavioral variables explained by incidences of student conduct violations, and engagement explained by involvement in activities and perceptions of campus environment. This research study used qualitative and quantitative data to; explore the effect that student housing has on academic achievement as explained by grade point average and retention from first to second year, examine the effect that housing has on student behavior as explained by the frequency of violations of the student code of conduct, and provide a deeper understanding of student engagement and explore its relationship with student housing. The quantitative component consisted of three data sets that included 37,048 records of first- and second-year students enrolled at the institution between the 2014-2019, behavioral data composed of 4,635 records of conduct violations that occurred in residence halls between 2014-2020, and a data set of survey responses from 239 respondents that were composed of questions related to student demographic, financial, and residential factors, as well as questions that were related to student participation and engagement with social and academic aspects of campus life. The qualitative component consisted of data from student interviews related to their academic and social experience on campus which supplemented the findings of the quantitative analysis. The findings of this research indicated that there is a strong correlation that academic achievement, behavior, and engagement has with the residential environment. Findings demonstrated that different types of housing and room types had a significant effect on grade point average and retention from first to second year. The findings also demonstrated that the effects of room types, as it relates to room configuration, was significant with negative student behavior and levels of engagement. A higher number of roommates in student housing was found to increase occurrences of student conduct violations and to decrease measures of student engagement. These findings provide insight into aspects of student housing that play an important role in a students’ success and experiences. This study attempted to address gaps in literature that examine how the physical space of a residential hall impacts the student experience. The primary objectives of this study were to explore the effect that student housing has on academic achievement and retention from first to second year, to examine the effect that housing has on student behavior, to provide a deeper understanding of student engagement and its relationship with student housing. The implications from this study contribute to the practical and theoretical frameworks on student integration and development by revealing the residential factors that produced the greatest influence on student academic achievement, retention from first to second year, conduct behavior, and engagement. In practice, this research can be used to inform the following; institutional housing and occupancy systems, design and development of residence hall structures, decisions related to campus planning, and the use of public-private partnerships for student housing.