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The Anatomy of Room Change:
Architecture, Academic Performance,
and Differences in Race and
Socioeconomic Status
THE NUMBER OF ROOM CHANGE REQUESTS by first-year college students
can be influenced by several factors, including race and socioeconomic status.
This study adds to the body of research by also examining the role of residence
hall architecture, roommate similarity, and academic performance in room
change requests. Findings indicate that residence hall architecture was the first
differentiator of these requests. Other differentiators were first-semester GPA,
age, and differences between roommates in socioeconomic status and race.
The results indicate that residence hall architecture has important effects on
students' college experience, which can influence the development of social
networks and form the context through which personal characteristics and
roommate differences affect interpersonal interactions. Employing policies and
programming that support student autonomy, create social connections, and
reduce interpersonal barriers can foster a rich and positive environment for
developing culturally diverse student experiences.
Note: This study was funded through the ACUHO-I funded research grant program with the
generous support of the ACUHO-I Foundation. It was approved by the University of Virginia
Institutional Review Board for the Social and Behavioral Sciences.
S
ome of the most meaningful friendships for college students are with their
roommates, with whom they spend much time in a shared living space. For
first-year students, establishing meaningful relationships is critical to wellness
and developing a sense of belonging in a new environment, as well as facilitating
learning, growing, and adapting to college, which makes roommate relationships
pivotal to the college experience (Kerby, 2015). Roommate relationships are often facilitated
by common background, and differences in socioeconomic status (SES) can
create a barrier between students (Chavous et al., 2002). These differences, experienced
far more by minoritized students, can be a source of roommate conflict and
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