University Residence Hall Research Articles

Evaluating the learning and development outcomes of residence life programs – an Australian university case study.

University residence halls have long been considered places of student education and personal development, transcending their basic function as a facility merely for living and sleeping. Extensive research over the past few decades shows strong support for residence halls to purposively consider their roles in student development, citing myriad educational benefits for students who live on campus compared with those who commute for their studies. In this context, university professionals have been called on to realise “purposeful, programmatic efforts to integrate students’ intellectual and social lives during college” (Terenzini and Pascarella, 1994). Such programmatic efforts in holistic support of a student’s life during their tertiary studies have been variously described under the umbrella term “residence life programs”. In this study, we employ a clarificative evaluation methodology to assess the efficacy of a mature residence life program at the University of Sydney’s International House. Through the process of program evaluation, we establish the relationship between intentional programmatic efforts on the part of student support staff, and outcomes for student development as evidenced in peer relationships and intercultural learning. Significantly, the findings reveal the real outcomes of structured, informal learning activities on student growth and development, and particularly in the development of cultural competence and peer networks. This evaluative study provides evidence for intangible, and less quantifiable outcomes of residence life programs, which may be used by student life professionals as a basis for further research and program development.

Sustainability Impacts of Installing Low-Flow Toilets in a University Residence Hall

This study evaluates the sustainability impact of replacing inefficient toilets with low-flow units in a residence hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A graduate student initiated this pro...

Safe food refrigeration knowledge, attitudes, and practices of university students

PurposeStudents living in university residence halls often have refrigerators for food storage, and are often living alone and handling food for the first time in their lives. Therefore, an investigation of their safe food storage practices is important to help prevent food-borne illness in this population. This research seeks to evaluate the food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices related to food storage and refrigeration among undergraduate students at a university campus.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted by administering a questionnaire to undergraduate students (n = 93) living in two residence halls on a university campus.FindingsMany respondents (43.3 percent) were unaware of the maximum temperature a refrigerator should be set at to prevent microbial growth, while 83.7 percent reported ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ checking the temperature of their refrigerator using a thermometer. Many respondents (43.1 percent) incorrectly ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that the smell and appearance of food can be used as an indicator for food safety, and 64.1 percent self-reported often or always using this practice. Respondents that were born outside of Canada had more positive food storage attitudes, while those that identified as Caucasian had higher knowledge scores. A positive correlation was identified between knowledge and attitude scores (r = 0.217) but neither were significantly associated with practice scores.Originality/valueThe study revealed gaps in the knowledge, attitudes and practices of university students living in residence halls related to safe food storage. Hence, there is a need to increase awareness and education in this population on key food storage practices.

Ventilation and laboratory confirmed acute respiratory infection (ARI) rates in college residence halls in College Park, Maryland

Strategies to protect building occupants from the risk of acute respiratory infection (ARI) need to consider ventilation for its ability to dilute and remove indoor bioaerosols. Prior studies have described an association of increased self-reported colds and influenza-like symptoms with low ventilation but have not combined rigorous characterization of ventilation with assessment of laboratory confirmed infections. We report a study designed to fill this gap. We followed laboratory confirmed ARI rates and measured CO2 concentrations for four months during the winter-spring of 2018 in two campus residence halls: (1) a high ventilation building (HVB) with a dedicated outdoor air system that supplies 100% of outside air to each dormitory room, and (2) a low ventilation building (LVB) that relies on infiltration as ventilation. We enrolled 11 volunteers for a total of 522 person-days in the HVB and 109 volunteers for 6069 person-days in the LVB, and tested upper-respiratory swabs from symptomatic cases and their close contacts for the presence of 44 pathogens using a molecular assay. We observed one ARI case in the HVB (0.70/person-year) and 47 in the LVB (2.83/person-year). Simultaneously, 154 CO2 sensors distributed primarily in the dormitory rooms collected 668,390 useful data points from over 1 million recorded data points. Average and standard deviation of CO2 concentrations were 1230 ppm and 408 ppm in the HVB, and 1492 ppm and 837 ppm in the LVB, respectively. Importantly, this study developed and calibrated multi-zone models for the HVB with 229 zones and 983 airflow paths, and for the LVB with 529 zones and 1836 airflow paths by using a subset of CO2 data for model calibration. The models were used to calculate ventilation rates in the two buildings and potential for viral aerosol migration between rooms in the LVB. With doors and windows closed, the average ventilation rate was 12 L/s in the HVB dormitory rooms and 4 L/s in the LVB dormitory rooms. As a result, residents had on average 6.6 L/(s person) of outside air in the HVB and 2.3 L/(s person) in the LVB. LVB rooms located at the leeward side of the building had smaller average ventilation rates, as well as a somewhat higher ARI incidence rate and average CO2 concentrations when compared to those values in the rooms located at the windward side of the building. Average ventilation rates in twenty LVB dormitory rooms increased from 2.3 L/s to 7.5 L/s by opening windows, 3.6 L/s by opening doors, and 8.8 L/s by opening both windows and doors. Therefore, opening both windows and doors in the LVB dormitory rooms can increase ventilation rates to the levels comparable to those in the HVB. But it can also have a negative effect on thermal comfort due to low outdoor temperatures. Simulation results identified an aerobiologic pathway from a room occupied by an index case of influenza A to a room occupied by a possible secondary case.

Field evaluation of the performance of fan coil units with permanent split capacitor fan motors

The purpose of this study was to provide in situ field data on fan/motor efficiency and fan static pressure differentials for the fan/motor combinations used in fan coil units. Measurements were made on 321 fan coil units with permanent split capacitor motors in three university residence halls and one commercial building. Data included manufacturer, model number, airflow, static pressures at the inlet and outlet of the fan coil unit, voltage, current, and external static pressure across the unit. All units had data on static pressure differential across the fans and most had external static pressure measurements across the fan coil units. Over 97% of the units operated with external static pressure differentials at or below 0.4 in. w.g. (100 Pa). Over 78% of the units were below 0.2 in. w.g. (50 Pa). A correlation for fan/motor static efficiency versus fan static pressure differential was developed. The analysis provided estimates of both fan/motor static efficiency and fan static pressure differential that should provide users of building simulations programs with a reasonable estimate of these variables when simulating fan coil units. The data showed that fan efficacy was independent of either fan static pressure differential or external static pressure.

Do People Who Identify as Popular Become Popular in a New Network? A 9-Month Longitudinal Network Analysis

Abstract Although scholars have argued that people actively shape and reshape their social networks (e.g., Parks, 2016), this aspect of relational development has received little attention. This study sought to determine if people’s self-perceptions of interpersonal communication skills translated into behavior that led to relationship formation in a new network. A 9-month longitudinal social network analysis (N = 94) of the residents of a first-year university residence hall using Facebook tie data was conducted to assess network changes. Results indicate that both self-perceived network centrality in a hypothetical friendship sociogram (Smith & Fink, 2015) and self-reported connector scores (Boster et al., 2011) are good longitudinal predictors of relationship development. Those who began by self-identifying as central, became central.

Interior Color and Psychological Functioning in a University Residence Hall.

The research exploited a unique architectural setting of a university residence hall composed by six separate buildings that matched for every architectural detail and differed only for the interior color (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red). Four hundred and forty-three students living in the six buildings for an average of 13.33 months participated in a study that assessed color preference (hue and lightness), lightness preference, and the effects of color on studying and mood. The results showed a preference for blue interiors, followed by green, violet, orange, yellow, and red. A preference bias was found for the specific color in which the student lived. Gender differences emerged for the preference of blue and violet. Room-lightness was significantly affected by the interior color. Room ceiling was preferred white. Blue as interior color was considered to facilitate studying activity. The use of differentiated colors in the six buildings was evaluated to significantly facilitate orienting and wayfinding. A significant relation was found between a calm mood and preference for blue.

Reducing Hot Water Consumption: Testing the Effectiveness of Citizen Science and Community-Based Social Marketing in University Residence Halls

Purpose: This project aims to reduce the amount of energy used in campus residence halls to heat water, the second largest single source of energy consumption after space heating. Design/methodology/approach: This project combines a citizen science approach — in which students gather and analyze data about their own hot water use — with community-based social marketing methods — in which researchers identify the barriers to students’ conservation efforts and develop strategies to help them overcome these obstacles to reduce their consumption. Students’ self-recorded data on shower temperature and duration, and their responses to focus-group discussions and surveys are analyzed. Findings: Approximately 1500 shower times were self-recorded during the month of October and 22% of participants filled out the survey. Approximately 72% of respondents reported taking advantage of the self-reporting infrastructure, and 33% of participants reported that this project made them change their shower habits while 74% found that the presence of the self-recording equipment made them more mindful of the temperature and duration of their showers. Originality/value: Recent studies on energy consumption and conservation at institutes of higher education, including [institution name], have focused almost exclusively on energy-reduction competitions between residence halls, savings which have not been sustained beyond the competition. In contrast, this project illustrates the potential of using a different model to promote sustainable behavior and energy conservation.

The impact of window opening and other occupant behavior on simulated energy performance in residence halls

A poor depiction of occupant behavior in building performance simulation frequently results in substantial divergences between real and simulated results. The problem may be of particular concern with simulation supporting the renovation of older multi-unit residential buildings, buildings whose occupants use windows for temperature control even during heating season. Here, we investigated the impact of window operation models (as well as other occupant behaviors) on simulated energy performance in university residence halls. Based on environmental monitoring, along with information collected from occupant surveys and wearable devices, we estimated air exchange rates and developed a probabilistic window-operation prediction model. The data were collected in 76 dormitory rooms sampled from a pre-renovated historic building and two similar buildings. We then evaluated the window-operation model’s predictive performance in 15 dormitory rooms in the post-renovated building with new occupants. The results of our predictive model were also compared with previously reported window-operation models. We implemented each window-operation model in a calibrated EnergyPlus building performance model, comparing the results of each simulation to metered hourly steam consumption. The impact of the different window operation models on simulated heating energy use was significant (annual error ranging from 0.2% to 10%). Our model demonstrated the highest capability of predicting window state (accuracy=85.8%) and steam use (NMBE=−0.2%); however, some previously published windowoperation models also produced satisfactory performance, implying that such models may be generalizable to some extent. The results suggest that data collected from somewhat ubiquitous indoor environmental quality sensors can glean insights into occupant behavior for building performance simulation. Furthermore, the energy impacts resulting from the variations in occupant behavior studied here were large enough to show that the choice of behavior model can have meaningful implications for real-world applications, such as estimating saving from heating and lighting system upgrades.

A comparative study of the efficacy of intervention strategies on student electricity use in campus residence halls

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether, and how, electricity consumption by students in university residence halls were impacted through three intervention strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe current investigation uses a quasi-experimental design by exposing freshman students in four matched residence halls and the use of three different interventions designed to encourage energy conservation, specifically electricity conservation. A control residence hall received no intervention. One residence hall had an energy dashboard prominently displayed. Another received various communications and programming designed to raise awareness of the need for energy conservation. A fourth residence hall had an energy dashboard and received programming. Electricity consumption among the residence halls was compared using multivariate analysis.FindingsStudents in all residence halls receiving interventions demonstrated significantly lower electricity consumption compared to the control residence hall. Across two years with different student populations, results were consistent: the residence hall receiving only the communications and programming, but not the dashboard, had the lowest electricity use. The residence hall with only the dashboard also demonstrated a significant but smaller decline in electricity use. Curiously, the residence hall wherein both interventions were used demonstrated the smallest decline in electricity use.Practical implicationsWhile total costs for the communications and programming are difficult to accurately assess, the results suggest that this approach is cost-effective when compared to the avoided cost of electricity and is superior in terms of electricity cost savings to both the dashboards and to the combined intervention. Results also suggest that any intervention is likely to induce a large enough electricity reduction to be cost-effective and there may be non-economic benefits as well.Originality/valueThis study takes advantage of the availability of four “matched” residence halls to approximate the rigor of a controlled quasi-experimental design to compare different strategies for inducing electricity consumption among freshman residents.

Logistics impacts of student online shopping – Evaluating delivery consolidation to halls of residence

Growth in online shopping has led to increased numbers of small delivery vehicles in urban areas leading to a range of negative externalities. Young people are significant generators of home deliveries and, when clustered in university halls of residence, can generate considerable freight traffic to one location. This paper explores the potential to consolidate these deliveries using an urban consolidation centre. Based on the case of Southampton, UK, data were compiled from three linked sources: a delivery audit of four halls of residence at the University of Southampton housing 5050 residents; annual package receipt records from Southampton Solent University halls (2294 residents); and an online shopping survey distributed to Southampton University students (486 responses). The results suggest that in cities with multiple higher education institutions (HEIs), where in excess of 8000 students live in halls, over 13,000 courier trips could be generated annually, delivering over 4000m3 of packages. These could be consolidated onto fewer than 300 vehicles for an annual service cost of approximately £18 per student, reducing congestion, parking infringements and improving air quality. Analysis indicated student acceptance of a consolidated parcel service but operational challenges would include enforcement, performance risk, finance and delivery speed.

Mineralizing urban net-zero water treatment: Field experience for energy-positive water management

An urban net-zero water treatment system, designed for energy-positive water management, 100% recycle of comingled black/grey water to drinking water standards, and mineralization of hormones and other organics, without production of concentrate, was constructed and operated for two years, serving an occupied four-bedroom, four-bath university residence hall apartment. The system comprised septic tank, denitrifying membrane bioreactor (MBR), iron-mediated aeration (IMA) reactor, vacuum ultrafilter, and peroxone or UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation, with 14% rainwater make-up and concomitant discharge of 14% of treated water (ultimately for reuse in irrigation). Chemical oxygen demand was reduced to 12.9 ± 3.7 mg/L by MBR and further decreased to below the detection limit (<0.7 mg/L) by IMA and advanced oxidation treatment. The process produced a mineral water meeting 115 of 115 Florida drinking water standards that, after 10 months of recycle operation with ∼14% rainwater make-up, had a total dissolved solids of ∼500 mg/L, pH 7.8 ± 0.4, turbidity 0.12 ± 0.06 NTU, and NO3-N concentration 3.0 ± 1.0 mg/L. None of 97 hormones, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals analyzed were detected in the product water. For a typical single-home system with full occupancy, sludge pumping is projected on a 12–24 month cycle. Operational aspects, including disinfection requirements, pH evolution through the process, mineral control, advanced oxidation by-products, and applicability of point-of-use filters, are discussed. A distributed, peroxone-based NZW management system is projected to save more energy than is consumed in treatment, due largely to retention of wastewater thermal energy. Recommendations regarding design and operation are offered.

Do occupancy-responsive learning thermostats save energy? A field study in university residence halls

Occupant presence and behavior can and should influence energy use in buildings. If occupancy is measured, predicted, or otherwise inferred, building controls can automatically adjust system operating parameters to use less energy without sacrificing user services. However, previous field evaluations and simulation studies appear to have overestimated the energy savings associated with this type of smart control. In this article we present results from a carefully controlled field evaluation of occupancy-responsive learning thermostats installed in every bedroom of three high-rise university residence halls. While a standard practice energy model developed prior to the retrofit estimated 10–25% savings for cooling and 20–50% savings for heating, measurements reveal that the control scheme only reduced energy consumption by 0–9% for cooling, and by 5–8% for heating for normal operation during academic periods. However, for non-academic periods when the residence halls were sparsely populated, the scheme reduced cooling energy consumption by 20–30%. We analyzed these observations in relation to occupancy patterns, room temperature records, ambient conditions, and equipment run time. The findings provide novel insight about how to improve field evaluations and refine model assumptions to better predict the impact of occupancy-responsive thermostat controls. Notably, while analysts often use fractional building occupancy trends to simulate building energy performance, this study highlights the importance of accounting accurately for both the temporal and spatial variation of vacancy events throughout a building.

Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Gregory S. Blimling (review)

Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Gregory S. Blimling (review)

Energy Consumption in Creighton University Residence Halls: Comparing Attitudes and Behaviors

&lt;div class="page" title="Page 1"&gt;&lt;div class="section"&gt;&lt;div class="layoutArea"&gt;&lt;div class="column"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;“On U.S. college campuses, growing concerns since the 1960s have demanded that we become more knowledgeable about our impact on the environment.” (Ruckelshaus 455) &lt;/span&gt;This research has aimed to understand attitudes and behaviors regarding energy consumption in Creighton University Residence halls by employing quantitative data gathering methods and analysis of campus energy use. The program Stata will be utilized in analysis to allow for a statistical understanding of student attitudes and behaviors regarding their energy consumption. The findings of this research are meant to allow Creighton University officials to understand student energy consumption habits and interest allowing for better energy consumption practices in the future. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

A Study of Foreign Students’ Perceptions Toward Their Lived Experience in Korean University Residence Hall

A Study of Foreign Students’ Perceptions Toward Their Lived Experience in Korean University Residence Hall

Estimating the Validity of CPTED Guidelines on Residence Hall in University: Through the Comparison between CPTED Checklists and Space Syntax Analysis

University residence halls have become one of the most important issues for students when selecting their academic institutions. However, in South Korea, while universities maintain technologically up-to-date facilities, when it comes to safety or security, the management is unsatisfactory. As a result, the number of violent crime has been increasing. However, there are few researches in terms of practical validity of CPTED Guidelines even though a myriad of researchers study about CPTED Guidelines. Therefore, this study endeavours to investigate the validity of theoretical CPTED Guidelines that to what extent it might be adopted for design process. As a methodology, Space Syntax Convex map and Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) are chosen. As a result, since the types of space which have a high level of Space Syntax Index are analogous with space treated on CPTED Guidelines, it roughly shows that the theoretical CPTED Guidelines could be adopted in practical architectural design process. Furthermore, it reveals that there is a close relationship between detail design guide stated in CPTED Guidelines and the result of VGA. That is, through the analysis, it is proved that the validity of CPTED Guidelines is quite enough to be adopted in practical design process.

Living with students: Lessons learned while pursuing tenure, administration, and raising a family.

An emerging promising practice in many universities has been the development of faculty-in-residence programs, in which university faculty members and their family moved into university student residences, sharing common living spaces with students. This case study is centered on two faculty-in-residence living in university residence halls. One was an assistant professor pursuing tenure while raising a young child, while the second was a tenured full professor and associate dean raising two teens. This case study offers the post-experience conclusions of these two faculty-in-residence individuals, noting the benefits and challenges each experienced while living -and working closely with these students outside of the university classroom, all while striving for an optimal balance in managing professional and familial obligations.

Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Gregory S. Blimling (review)

Reviewed by: Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Gregory S. Blimling Frank Shushok Jr. Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why Gregory S. Blimling San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2015, 388 pages, $42.00 (hardcover) For educators eager to articulate the value of an on-campus residential experience, Student Learning in the College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why is an essential library acquisition. Since the publishing in 1994 of Realizing the Educational Potential of Residence Halls (Schroeder & Mable), no texts have made similarly compelling cases that residence halls can, and should be, important tools in the delivery of a high-quality education. In the 1994 book, Blimling, with coauthors Pascarella and Terenzini, explored the emerging body of residential life student outcomes research. This recent Blimling text is an exponential advancement of their previous work, and moreover, it highlights the significant growth in knowledge gained through residence hall outcomes research over the past 20 years. Blimling’s stated purpose is to examine the effect of contemporary residence halls on learning, and that mission is no doubt achieved. Along the way, Blimling offers readers historical context, provides rich descriptions of approaches to residential life, and compares and contrasts the associated research on outcomes. The articulated audience for this book is residence life professionals, graduate students interested in residence life, faculty involved in living and learning programs, and senior student affairs officers with responsibility for campus housing. Yet, anyone hoping to make the case that residence halls are a powerful but often underutilized mechanism for advancing important educational aims will scurry to get this book in the hands of others, especially college presidents, provosts, and those seeking to strengthen the campus learning experience. In a time when technology is offering alternative approaches for obtaining an undergraduate degree, Blimling arms readers with a wealth of research about the kinds of residential structures and formats that facilitate robust learning. Without reading like a literature review, the book highlights how residential life influences student learning. This is a significant accomplishment. Chapter 1 articulates the philosophical shifts that historically have guided the primary practices of residence life administration. With each residential life paradigm comes new pedagogies, formats, and architecture. This in turn influences the prevailing art and science of educational efforts in residence halls, each of which are carefully and thoroughly explored in this chapter. In chapter 2, Blimling surveys the biological and psychological development literature and helps readers connect this science to the college student experience in general, and residence halls in particular. As part of Blimling’s treatment, a wealth of insight is shared about matters such as neurobiological development, music, sleeping, sexual behavior, alcohol, and adjustment issues that collectively influence student learning in residence halls. Chapter 3 introduces readers to a breadth of learning theories and how learning occurs in the residence hall context. As part of this effort, Blimling describes multiple forms of intelligence, learning as a function of social group identity, the influence of peers and professionals on learning, and learning as an integrative process. Once historical contexts, philosophical underpinnings, and theoretical foundations are established, the book becomes more pragmatic in its tone and offers research-informed counsel for practitioners interested in strengthening the learning environment of residence halls. Chapter 4, “How to [End Page 887] Create Learning Environments in Residence Halls” analyzes research on the structure of peer relationships; chapter 5, “Selecting and Developing Residence Life Staff to Advance Student Learning” directs attention to training staff through a learning lens; chapter 6, “How Residential Environments Influence Learning” reminds readers of the importance of physical space in advancing student learning; chapter 7, “How to Shape the Peer Environment in Residence Halls to Enhance Student Learning” emphasizes the role of a student as a member of a peer group and the complexity this dynamic adds to the overall learning equation; chapter 8, “Managing Student Life in Residence Halls to Support Student Learning” introduces curricular approaches in residential education; chapter 9, “Assessing and Improving Residence Life Programs” challenges readers to be data driven in decision-making; and chapter 10, “The Future of Residence Halls” hypothesizes about...

Peroxone mineralization of chemical oxygen demand for direct potable water reuse: Kinetics and process control

Mineralization of organics in secondary effluent by the peroxone process was studied at a direct potable water reuse research treatment system serving an occupied four-bedroom, four bath university residence hall apartment. Organic concentrations were measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and kinetic runs were monitored at varying O3/H2O2 dosages and ratios. COD degradation could be accurately described as the parallel pseudo-1st order decay of rapidly and slowly-oxidizable fractions, and effluent COD was reduced to below the detection limit (<0.7 mg/L). At dosages ≥4.6 mg L−1 h−1, an O3/H2O2 mass ratio of 3.4–3.8, and initial COD <20 mg/L, a simple first order decay was indicated for both single-passed treated wastewater and recycled mineral water, and a relationship is proposed and demonstrated to estimate the pseudo-first order rate constant for design purposes. At this O3/H2O2 mass ratio, ORP and dissolved ozone were found to be useful process control indicators for monitoring COD mineralization in secondary effluent. Moreover, an average second order rate constant for OH oxidation of secondary effluent organics (measured as MCOD) was found to be 1.24 × 107 ± 0.64 × 107 M−1 S−1. The electric energy demand of the peroxone process is estimated at 1.73–2.49 kW h electric energy for removal of one log COD in 1 m3 secondary effluent, comparable to the energy required for desalination of medium strength seawater. Advantages/disadvantages of the two processes for municipal wastewater reuse are discussed.