The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 46, No. 1 - 23

Peer Belonging and Institutional Acceptance

CONCLUSIONS
Institutional administrators need to consider
these results when planning and building new
housing facilities, implementing social programming, and training staff. These results
suggest that, to enhance peer belonging, administrators should encourage upper-level
students to live with fellow students and live
within walking distance to campus. For those
students who opt to live off campus, administrators should consider creating programming
in local communities to make sure that students feel connected to campus and the larger
student community. There is a long tradition
of the town and gown rivalry, but there is also
the potential for a more symbiotic relationship
with mutual benefits for the university and the
surrounding community (Kemp, 2013). In addition to community outreach, results from
this study have implications for on-campus
resources as well. Administrators should reconsider increasing single occupancy campus
housing options to keep students on campus,
as they might isolate upper-level students. Encouraging students to find roommates not only
leads to an efficient use of limited housing
space, but can also have a positive influence on
their sense of belonging.

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