journal_vol49no3 - 81

Under Pressure: The Impacts of Judicialization
Layering in the variable of gender, Subscale C (critogenic impacts on personal
lives) showed substantial differences between male- and female-identified residence
life participants. Women indicated statistically stronger agreement with Item 30, " My
eating habits have changed as a result of the stress from my job " (MI-J = .91; t(df) = 2.8;
p = .006) and Item 33 (MI-J = .61; t(df) = 2.308; p = .024). Female respondents also
reported that they found themselves venting to loved ones at a stronger rate than did
males (Question 38; MI-J = .58; t(df) = 2.113; p = .038). With only seven respondents
indicating that they identify as non-binary or genderqueer, there were not enough participants
in this demographic to conduct a meaningful data analysis.
Although only 14 of the respondents reported that they had been sued or otherwise
involved in a lawsuit, this demographic revealed a greater overall impact on their
personal lives than did those who had not been (MI-J = .554; t(df) = 2.868; p = .005).
Question 31 was reversed coded and invited the respondent to agree or disagree with
the statement that " I do not believe my personal relationships have been affected by job
stress. " Participants who had been sued showed a significantly stronger disagreement
with the statement (MI-J = .69; t(df) = 2.884; p = .008). This group also demonstrated
a statistically significant difference from non-sued respondents on questions 32 ( " My
experience of student conduct administration is different from what I expected it to be
when I entered the field " ), 34 ( " The federal oversight of some student conduct policies
and processes makes me think about leaving student conduct for another profession " ),
35 ( " The way in which I talk to students has impacted how I communicate with friends,
family, and other loved ones " ), and 40, which was also reverse coded ( " Concerns about
litigation have not impacted my ability to concentrate on everyday tasks " ).
The difference between living off campus or on campus in the area that the respondent
supervises also generated statistically significant results in consideration of
well-being. For Item 9 ( " I avoid dealing with students who have threatened litigation
or have involved their parents/attorneys " ), those housing staff who live on campus in
the area in which they supervise reported a statistically significant stronger response
(M = 2.53) than did those who live off campus (M = 1.7) (MI-J = .83; t(df) = 3.415;
p = .001). Questions 29, 34, and 37 yielded statistically strong differences between
these two groups, with those study participants who live off campus indicating greater
agreement with the aforementioned items.
DISCUSSION
This study sought to understand the experience of critogenic harms in residence life
professionals who also have responsibilities for student conduct and revealed that concerns
about judicialization and the legalistic nature of conduct adjudication have a
moderate impact on the well-being of its practitioners.
The demographic population of this survey skewed heavily toward entry- and
mid-level residence life staff (n = 70), with only 17 participants reporting that they
serve in a director-level or other position. A total of 14 respondents in the current study
78 The Journal of College and University Student Housing
journal_vol49no3

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