Interpersonal conflict is inevitable as college students live together in residence halls with new and different people (Bresnahan et al., 2009; Ferguson & Lareau, 2021; Fosnacht et al., 2020; Harwood et al., 2012; Morgan et al., 2019; Shook & Fazio, 2008). Whether the conflict stems from small miscommunications to mismatched value…

The number of room change requests by first-year college students can be influenced by several factors, including race and socioeconomic status. This study adds to the body of research by also examining the role of residence hall architecture, roommate similarity, and academic performance in room change requests. Findings indicate that residence…

This article examines the experiences of a group of Japanese study abroad students in response to the purposeful replication of a Japanese environment by the New Zealand-based institution where they studied. Data were collected from 12 students via interviews spread over approximately 20 months, and revealed that management provided specifically…

International students' experiences of multicultural living-learning communities were explored using consensual qualitative research. Fifteen female international students attending a university in the mid-Atlantic region were interviewed in five focus groups. Participants reported that the benefits of multicultural living-learning communities…

Findings from this study indicate that more attention must be given to Chinese students' interpersonal relationships with domestic students, particularly when considering the role of daily cross-cultural interactions in residential living. Participants who wanted American roommates anticipated an easier transition to U.S. culture. However, making…

The Chinese undergraduate student population currently represents 12.8% of all international students enrolled in the United States (Institute for International Education, 2015a). In an effort to understand the experiences of this population in their first year of college in the United States, a phenomenological study was conducted using a…

Students from low-income families consistently trail behind their peers in retention and degree attainment. Research on college student experiences suggests that low-income students experience "cultural mismatch" at college--they feel that their backgrounds are at odds with the middle-class values dominant on campus (Armstrong &…

Intended as a brief guide to the cultural differences associated with an East-West academic exchange, this paper discusses customs and cultural norms likely to be encountered. Chinese economic growth has been accompanied by rapidly increasing East-West study abroad opportunities. Over the past decade, China has sent more students to study abroad…

The "Talking Stick" is published bimonthly, six times a year in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December by the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. Each issue is divided into three sections: Features, Columns, and Departments. These sections contain articles…

The "Talking Stick" is published bimonthly, six times a year in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December by the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. Each issue is divided into three sections: Features, Columns, and Departments. These sections contain articles…

As residential institutions summon greater resources and seek new strategies to encourage civic engagement, character building, and citizenship development among students, they too often overlook a potentially powerful asset. Residence halls, physically designed to provide students with direct access to personal differences and multiple occasions…