The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2 - 60

Jessica Wode

. . . there are concrete factors that
differentiate students who choose
off-campus housing from those
who choose to stay on campus,
some of which may be within
an institution's control, such as
making housing available during
breaks or ensuring that hall staff
add substantial value to the
campus experience .

students. Combining student profiles with importance ratings would provide a more comprehensive picture of what prompts students
to move off campus than either data set individually could show.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
The results of this study indicate that housing
administrators may have more control than
they realize over retaining students in campus
housing. In some cases, this could require
them to be willing and able to adapt policies,
such as whether halls remain open and accessible to students during academic breaks, or
focus new construction to benefit students who
prioritize private space and the ability to cook
for themselves more than having the support
of in-hall staff. There may be valid reasons for
maintaining more traditional residence hall
structures and policies at a given institution,
but if retention in housing is a concern, then
the approach to improvement should involve
60

the consideration of multiple factors that influence students' housing decisions.
Comparing this study's results with those
of studies done in previous decades, it is clear
that student values related to housing are not
static over time. Where students used to value
well-maintained facilities and then came to
value programming and involvement in the
halls, this study and other recent ones provide
evidence that students may be moving toward a
greater emphasis on independence and private
space. If housing administrators are making
decisions based on what they themselves valued
as undergraduates, they may be missing out on
generational shifts that could be influencing
their students' decisions about whether to live
on campus, assuming that more movie nights
can retain students who are actually more concerned with having their own bathroom.
As in the research conducted by Li et al.
(2005), cost of housing was a significantly more
important factor for students who were planning
or had chosen to live off campus than it was for
those staying on campus. Institutions wishing
to increase retention in campus housing need
to seriously consider the effect that cost has on
determining where a student chooses to live.
Where institutions can offer moderate scholarship support or provide less expensive housing
options, they may have success in retaining
more students in campus housing.
Some of the findings of this study speak to
the specific policies in place at the university
where these surveys were conducted, though
many other institutions have similar policies. These policies include access to campus
housing during summer breaks and requiring meal plans for all students, even those in
apartments with kitchens. These policies are in

T h e J o u r n a l o f C o l l e g e a n d U n i v e r s i t y St u d e n t H o u s i n g

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2