Residential Life and Student Housing

Miranda Adams & Mallory SmithStudent Services in Higher Education

Janine AllenOctober 25, 2009

What is It?

• Housing vs. Residential Life (University of Central Florida, 2007)

• Separate?• Integrated?

What Does it Do for Students?

“Residences are much more than convenient places to

live! Taking advantage of the opportunities and

diversity within them allows for richer learning,

enhanced development and memories that will last

for a lifetime”

- Residence Life Professional Association, 2009

Learning OutcomesCognitive Complexity: Students will learn to...• foresee the consequences of their actions• articulate their ideas while respecting contrary ones• think independently and make decisions for themselves• process information regarding housing needs and requirements

Knowledge Acquisition, Integration, and Application: Students will learn to...• use knowledge gained from classroom and extracurricular experiences

and apply it to their residence hall community living• identify and utilize appropriate campus and life resources• internalize and follow basic college policies• recognize the Wellness Model* as a means to well-rounded living

What are standards of good practice that

guide professionals in the area of

housing and residential life?

Standards of Practice

Standards of Practice

• ASCA Ethical Principles and Standards of Good Conduct (www.theasca.og)

Examples of Standards of Practice Seattle University

Housing and Residence Life Vision Statement• Our residential communities empower leaders for a just and humane world by

fostering learning, development, and community living. We contribute to a vital and engaged university community by offering student-centered programs and services.

Housing and Residence Life Mission Statement• Using the University's core values as our guiding principles, we strive to provide

safe, secure, and well maintained residential facilities with diverse living options that support the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth of our students by collaborating with students, staff, and faculty to create a seamless learning experience inside and outside the classroom.

Examples of Standards of Practice University of Maine

Vision Statement• Through collaborative efforts and continuous transformation we seek to be a

model of excellence in serving our students.

Mission Statement• Residence Life intentionally fosters communities that create a sense of belonging

and provides active learning environments that enhance our students' engagement in their own development and academic success.

Standards for Students

• Standards are also formally created by the school

administration to guide the conduct of the

residential students, and often framed as

“community standards” or “rules for living”

Theories that Inform Good Practice• Theories that inform good practice in the literature

include: – Student Development theories:

• Chickering• Gilligan • Perry• Astin• Tinto • Pascarella

Theories that Inform Good Practice

• Also notable in the literature on Residence Life is:– Environmental Theory/Sustainability Literature

Professional Associations and Journals

• NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education – www.naspa.org

• The Association of College & University Housing Officers (ACUHO) – www.acuho-i.org

• American College Personnel Association (ACPA)

Professional Associations and Journals

• National Residence Hall Honorary - www.nrhh.org

• National Association of College & Residence Halls(NACURH) - www.nacurh.org

Professional Associations and Journals

• The Journal of College & University Student Housing http://www.acuho-i.org/Resources/JournalofCollegebrUniversityStudentbrHousing/tabid/90/Default.aspx

• The ASCA Law & Policy Report http://www.theasca.org/en/cms/?38

Major Issues

• Mass students = mass illness

• Hazardous alcohol use

• Some vary by campus (i.e. security, conflict resolution, etc.)

A Professional Perspective

“The amount of training that you would need to be prepared for

all of the possible issues that come up in residential life and

housing is so extensive that it is not possible. You just have to

do the best that you can and stay calm and logical when

problem solving.”

- Noelle MacNair, Assistant Director of Residential Life & Housing

at Concordia University

ReferencesEdwards, K. E. & McKelfresh, D. A. (2002). The impact of a living learning center on students’

academic success and persistence. Journal of College Student Development, 43 (3), pp. 395-402.

 Fogg, P. (2008, March 7). Dorm therapy. Chronicle of Higher Education, 54 (26), pp. B24-B25. Harrison, L. H., Dwyer, D. M., Maples, C. T., & Billmann, L. (1999). Risk of meningococcal infection

in college students. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(20), 1906-1910. JAMA. Retrieved October 21, 2009, fromhttp://jama.ama-assn.org.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/cgi/content/full/jama%3B281/20/1906 Kanoy, K. W., & Bruhn, J.W. (1996). Effects of a first year living and learning residence hall on

retention and academic performance. Journal of the Freshman Year Experience & Students in Transition, 8 (1), 7-23.

 Komives, S.R. & Woodard, D. (2003) Student services: a handbook for the profession. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.)

Palmer, C., Broido, E., & Campbell, J. (2008) A commentary on “The educational role in college student housing.” Journal of College & University Student Housing, 35 (2), pp. 86-89.

ReferencesResidence Life Professional Association. (2009). The RLPA. Retrieved October 18, 2009, from

http://www.rlpa.ca/index.html

Riker, H. C. & Decoster, D. A. (2008) The educational role in college student housing. Journal of College & University Student Housing, 35 (2), pp. 80-85.

  University of Central Florida. (2007, December 21). About Us. Retrieved October 18, 2009, from

http://www.housing.ucf.edu/about.php?page=mission Whitman College. "Residence Life Learning Outcomes." Residence Life. 2004. Web. 23 Oct. 2009.

<http://www.whitman.edu/content/residence_life/learning/learning-outcomes>. Whittier College. (2007). Residential Life. Retrieved October 19, 2009, from

http://www.whittier.edu/students/ResidentialLife/default.aspx

Winston, R. B. & Anchors, S. (1993) Student housing and residential life: A handbook for professionals committed to student development goals. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Zamboanga, B. L., Olthuis, J. V., Horton, N. J., McCollum, E. C., Lee, J. J., & Shaw, R. (2009). Where's the house party? Hazardous drinking behaviors and related risk factors. Journal of Psychology, 143(3), 228-244.