Evaluation of on-campus student housing facilities security and safety performance

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a guide for managing the provision of on-campus student housing facilities (SHFs) security and safety measures.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a mixed-method approach; the questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect quantitative data, whereas the interview was used to collect qualitative data. Descriptive and inferential statistics and importance-performance analysis models were used to analyse the quantitative data, whereas content analysis was used for the qualitative data.FindingsThis study found that students rated the satisfaction of all the SHFs safety and security measures below the level of importance. Three categories of performance level (i.e. poor, average and good) were determined. It also became evident that most of the measures were performing averagely, quite a number were poorly performing and few were performing well.Research limitations/implicationsData was collected from only one university; therefore, the findings of the research may not be generalised. A study that expands the number of participating universities is recommended.Practical implicationsThe guide developed can be used by the facility and/or hostel managers to ensure appropriate management of SHFs security and safety measures. The guide can also assist to ensure that all the essential safety measures are provided when designing, constructing or upgrading SHFs. It would also aid in the development of policy frameworks for SHFs security and safety.Originality/valueAlthough several studies have been conducted on SHFs, studies that mainly focussed on prioritising SHFs security and safety measures are lacking. With this paper, the authors also demonstrate the practicality of the use of the IPA model to aid the process of developing improvement priorities.