The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1 - 12

Stephanie Sickler • Beverly Roskos

will be increasingly important in recruitment
and retention” (p. 666). Since that time, research has shown that campus facilities and
the physical environment do contribute significantly to a student’s impression of an
institution (Reynolds, 2007; Strange, 1991),
but, surprisingly, there is little published
recent research on the aspects of housing
facilities that are most attractive to students.
Studies have focused on predicting satisfaction rates relating to the built environment
or as a result of social/behavioral factors,
because satisfaction with housing has been
shown to relate directly to retention (Astin,
1973; Astin, 1999; Bozick, 2007; Reynolds,
2007). More specifically, student housing
studies have addressed satisfaction rates
among students for the general residence hall
environment (Alkandari, 2007; Thomsen &
Eikemo, 2010) or have focused on the room
types that attract students (Balogh, Price, &
Moser, 2009; “Some—but Not All,” 2005).
The current study fills a gap by examining
how students select their residence halls on
campus. The study investigated factors that
contribute to first-year students’ choice in residence halls at a large Southern public university. Understanding the contributing factors
in residence hall selection, coupled with
prior research on satisfaction and retention,
can better aid student affairs and residen-

Research has shown that student
involvement and living on campus
are the most important factors for a
student’s retention and success.
12

tial life professionals in accommodating the
needs and preferences of campus residents
as they work toward the important goals of
recruitment and retention. This may, in turn,
provide insight for future expansion or renovation initiatives.

THE IMPORTANCE OF
RESIDENTIAL LIVING TO THE
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Research has shown that student involvement
and living on campus are the most important
factors for a student’s retention and success
(Astin, 1973; Astin, 1999; Bozick, 2007; Tinto,
1994). Studies on campus housing have
focused on social aspects that predict retention
(Spencer, 1979) and on building-type predictors
of satisfaction, such as corridor types, building
size, and high-rise structures (Amole, 2008),
with little focus on the specific characteristics
of housing facilities that play a role in students’
decision when selecting a residence hall.
Strange (1991) noted that the physical features
of the environment influence the extent to
which individuals are attracted to and satisfied
within any given setting. As satisfaction with
living arrangements has also been widely linked
to overall success in college (Alkandari, 2007;
Brooks, 2010; Foubert, Tepper, & Morrison,
1998; Reynolds & Cain, 2006), determining the
considerations that are important to students’
housing decisions is a next step in evaluating
the success of campus housing initiatives.
Residential facilities are important to
campus residents. Reynolds (2007) found
that more than 53% of participants felt it was
important to see housing facilities during a
campus visit prior to enrollment and 42% of
respondents noted that residence halls were

THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1
