Most large public institutions rely on computers to pair roommates, but officials at Ohio State make the matches after considering students' habits, hobbies, and academic interests. Students' relationships with their roommates frequently determine whether they are happy at the university. (MLW)

A study investigated the problems and advantages of providing computer terminals in residence halls. There were problems in security and in accommodating the facilities, but the primary gain was greater, more economical, and more widespread use of the computer. (Author/MSE)

Explores limits of quantitative research methods and introduces qualitative approach, focus groups, as alternative information-collection tool for student personnel administrators. Presents two research projects where focus groups were used. Maintains that focus group approach has several advantages, including cost effectiveness, emphasis on…

Tested hypothesis that living on campus fostered cognitive growth by estimating relative first-year gains in reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking of resident (n=40) and commuter (n=170) first-year college students. Controlling for precollege cognitive level, academic motivation, age, work responsibility, and extent…

Investigated the relationship between the leadership behaviors of resident assistants (RAs) and effectiveness assessments provided by their constituents (n=1,304), supervisors (n=5), and themselves (n=333). Significant and consistent patterns emerged, with the RAs most frequently engaged in leadership practices viewed as most effective. (Author/NB)

Increasingly, colleges and universities are establishing retirement communities on or near campus to attract active and generous alumni. The communities provide opportunities for continuing education and intergenerational contact. The working relationships between institutions and retirement communities are varied. Suggestions are made for…

Examines the changes in stressors on a university campus over the past eight years by replicating a 1983 study on the same campus. Undergraduates (n=639) completed a survey consisting of 7 demographic questions and 2 open-ended questions. Discusses differences in both personal and academic problems between the 1985 and 1993 sample for different…

The Georgia Institute of Technology received some funding from the Olympic 1996 Summer Games to add 2,800 new beds and renovate 4,600 existing beds to meet the needs of Olympic athletes and future students. The housing department used market research to find out what facilities students preferred. (MLF)

Cleanliness preferences may be related to the compatibility of college roommates and hence relevant to students' satisfaction with and retention at a college or university. Two studies were conducted to develop a scale and examine issues related to housecleaning attitudes In the first study 457 college students completed an Attitude toward…

To address the rise in tobacco use among college students, several national health organizations, including the American College Health Association,recommend that colleges enact smoking bans in and around all campus buildings, including student housing, and prohibit the sale, advertisement, and promotion of tobacco products on campus. Key…

This study was designed to measure affective, behavioral, and cognitive variables in a sample of 3159 first-year students, and to compare these variables by the type of residence building in which the student lived. Students living in suite-style buildings reported a greater sense of belonging, and higher activity levels than students living in…

Residence life programs play a key role in recruiting students, helping them make a successful transition to a new institution, and in retaining them, whether students are enrolling for the first time, transferring from another institution, or entering graduate school. Chapters in this book address theories of learning and development, new…

This paper reports the development of an evaluation scale for paraprofessional residence hall counselors. The developmental processes are described, and data on reliability and validity are presented. (Author)

Student brinkmanship in residence halls, resident assistant (RA) leadership, and residence social climate are discussed. In "brinking" the system, students challenge authority in ways that provide scant grounds for the institution to apply punishment. The study looks at relationships between: the RA's leadership behavior and student…

Studies examining life in the Indiana University residence halls from an ecosystem perspective have been conducted annually since 1978 to ascertain how students evaluate a series of issues related to residential living. The 1985 study, the eighth in a series, involved a representative sample of 824 students drawn from the residence centers. The…