Running head: RESIDENCE HALLS 1

Residence Halls and the Holistic College Student Development

Tyler Maruschak

Northern Illinois University

RESIDENCE HALLS 2

Residence Halls and the Holistic College Student

Residence halls provide educational opportunities that are not present in classroom

environments. Residence halls are places were college students reside on campus to education.

While students come to college to obtain a degree, their holistic student development lies in their

experiences outside of the classroom commonly referred to as co-curricular education. This type

of development occurs through experiences such as conversations with residence hall staff and

residence hall programming. For students living in the residence halls, much of their

development occurs through their experiences in residential living. In addition to the holistic

development of the student, residence halls offer many educational opportunities that contribute

to the success of the student. Lastly, residence halls contribute to increasing retention rates of the

college or university. This paper serves as an overview of the literature on the benefits of living

in a residence hall toward the holistic college student.

This paper will better explore students living in the residence halls. With the costs of

living in the residence halls becoming exponentially higher than living off-campus, justifying

residence hall living is becoming ever more important. In addition to the obvious benefits of

residence hall living such as a meal-plan and being closer to the students classes, residence halls

serve as a catalyst for student development. This research serves as justification for the

importance of the work residence hall staff contribute to the education college students. This

paper will examine the return of investment for living in the residence halls.

Review of Key Literature

Through analysis of the literature, four key areas of research stand out on the topic of

residence hall living. The four areas are learning communities, academic performance, student

engagement, and student retention. Each area directly supports the holistic development of
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students who reside within the residence halls. Through these four areas, it can be determined

that living in the residence halls has a positive effect on the holistic student.

To understand the importance of residence hall living, it is important to distinguish the

difference between a residence hall and a dormitory. Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2015)

define a dormitory as a large room with many beds where people can sleep. A residence hall is

so much more than just a place where a student sleeps. A residence hall is a place where students

live. Residence halls contribute to the betterment of its students. Residence halls provide

opportunities for students to grow and develop. A residence hall is not simply a place to sleep,

but a place to learn, grow, and obtain support.

Learning Communities

One of the many ways residence halls contribute to the success of the student is through

learning communities. A learning community is a group of people within a living environment

"fostered by commonality and consistency of purpose, shared values, and transcendent themes"

(Schroeder & Mable, 1994, 171). Learning communities amplify the statistics on standard

residential learning. Learning communities were originally designed to help with university

retention efforts (Stassen, 2003). Some of the popular learning communities that are seen in

various campus residence halls are: Honors, First-Year Experience, and STEM (Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Math). Many other learning communities exist that are focused

toward specific colleges within the university such as a learning community based on a College

of Communication and Information. Learning communities offer creative initiatives for students

to engage in academic learning within the residence hall to which they reside. These can include

academic activities, study groups, classes, faculty office hours, workshops, and faculty eating

meals with students (Cabrera, Crissman, Bernal, Nora, Terenzini, & Pascarella, 2002).
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Learning communities contribute to the overarching academic persistence of the student

(Johnson & Cavins, 1996). Residence Halls create this support group that is not necessarily

present in off-campus living. Students living in learning communities report higher engagement

in their courses and stronger critical thinking skills (Schmidt, 2011). Students living in a

learning community report a 3.20 point increase in academic achievement according to Pike,

Kuh, and McCormick (2011). Another way that learning communities contribute to academic

success is through special sections of courses offered only to specific learning communities. An

example of this would be a course section of an introduction public speaking course to

communication students living in a communication learning community. This allows students

who live together to co-enroll in many of the same courses together to create a collaborative

learning environment. This strengthens the connections between these students and creates a

community in which people can live and learn together (Zhao & Kuh, 2004).

In theory, residence halls directed toward a specific college makes sense for collaborative

learning purposes. However, Stassen (2003) suggests that the results are minimal in terms of

increased performance. While this may not result in increased performance, it is important to

note this benefit because of the learning implications it can have on students. Working in teams

is a skill that can be transferable to any career, and this collaborative learning environment can

contribute to the development of this skill.

Learning communities are designed to create a learning experience outside of the

classroom. "A housing program should be one that strives to enhance the physical and

interpersonal environment, to create the learning environment ensuring students are a member of

overlapping communities which enhance their classroom experience" (Schmidt, 2011, 2).

Through the creation of learning communities, residence hall staff work to create an environment
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conducive to student learning and academic success. The goal of a learning community is to

create this environment where teaching occurs by everyone (Schmidt, 2011). One of the many

things learning communities teach is autonomy and independence. Students that live in learning

communities report higher feelings of autonomy and independence than students not residing in

these communities (Stassen, 2003).

Learning communities also have staff trained to assess the needs of the community. For

example, the Honors learning community only has resident assistants that are in the Honors

program. This allows residence hall staff to better support those students because the staff

member is a resource tailored to the students living in that community. Additionally, these staff

members have experiences similar to the students residing in their community. Staff members

utilize these experiences to support the students living in their community through educational

initiatives such as programming.

Academic Performance

Perhaps one of the most important benefits of living in the residence halls is the increase

in academic performance reported by students. Students who live in the residence halls receive

better cumulative grade point averages by the end of their undergraduate journey (Zhao & Kuh,

2004). Engaging in academic conversations within the students' place of living contributes to the

continued success of the student. As already discussed earlier, academic achievement is

statistically higher with students who reside within the residence halls. While many students

report that they receive little academic support within the residence halls, students still receive

higher GPAs statistically (Stassen, 2003). Statistically, the largest impact residence halls have on

academics is present with first-year students (Paine, 2007). The residence hall environment is

also conducive to academic learning. With educational bulletin boards and staff trained to
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engage in academic conversations with students, the outcome is generally positive in terms of

academic success.

Lastly, students are learning many things outside of the classroom environment that

contribute to their holistic development. This learning exists in the form of diversity and

multiculturalism education. Residence hall staff are trained to have conversations with students

on these topics that do not present themselves in the classroom environment often. This type of

education is pertinent to the holistic education and development of the student by giving them a

rounded education.

Residence Hall Environment. The residence hall environment is a major contribution to

academic learning. Much of the residence hall structure is grounded in academic learning

intentionally (Schmidt, 2011). The specific nonverbal communication used to convey this

message of academic success is done through artifacts. According to Banning, Middleton, and

Deniston (2008), there are four different types of physical artifacts that could affect the climate

of any setting: art, signs, graffiti, and architecture. In terms of the residence halls, bulletin boards

are in place to promote the academic learning within that space. Residence hall staff create

bulletin boards grounded in academic themes to promote the nonverbal message of academic

success. Even the layout of residence halls are intentional in creating this message. Most

residence halls have central lounge spacing with many tables conducive to academic learning

such as studying, homework, or group collaboration. This sends an inviting message for students

to come to that specific space to get work done. Having that space allows a more convenient

place to work on homework without having to even leave the building.

Knapp, Hall, and Horgan (2014) suggest that the environment plays a major factor in how

people decode messages. This research identifies that spatial arrangement nonverbally
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communicates a welcoming environment. In the residence halls, having a place to congregate

for academic purposes is essential to academic success. Even the way furniture is positioned can

dictate the message that is being sent nonverbally (Knapp, Hall, & Horgan, 2014). If a residence

hall space has pictures hanging up promoting academic success and student engagement, the

community space is sending messages for students to engage in those activities.

Paine (2007) suggests that the environment is the one thing that sets residence halls apart

from other college living arrangements. Paine (2007) describes traditional residence halls having

long double-loaded corridors with rooms lining both sides of the hallway. Another residence hall

style is short corridors or "suite" living. Paine (2007) suggests that students living in short

corridor residence halls report a higher level of satisfaction with their living environment.

Knapp, Hall, and Horgan (2014) take it a step further and suggest that the colors of the

environment affect the emotions of the people that reside there. Blue is described as having a

soothing feeling to create a calm and welcoming atmosphere while red is said to have an

angering effect on people. Suite-style living arrangements with blue walls is theoretically a

soothing environment for residents to succeed academically based on the research. Today,

residence halls are beginning to transition to suite-style living to reflect some of this research.

Student Engagement

Residential living is critical for the students' transition into college. Residence halls

allow students to develop social connections with other students who are navigating similar

challenges in their college experience (Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley, Bridges, & Hayek, 2006). Zhao

and Kuh (2004) suggest that first-year students living in the residence halls show more signs of

being engaged than seniors living in the same community. Student engagement is directly tied

with retention and residence hall living.

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Pike, Kuh, and McCormick (2011) suggest that student engagement in the residence halls

is dependent on the type of community to which the student resides. With there being a

numerous amount of residential communities, it is not surprising to find different trends within

each individual community. In an Honors learning community, student engagement is typically

higher compared to other communities (Pike, Kuh, and McCormick, 2011). Residence hall staff

serve as leaders for the students living in their halls. Residence hall staff put on events and

programs focused on the community of residents that they service. Through these programs and

other interactions with students, residence hall staff give opportunities for these students to

engage within their community and the campus as a whole. An example of this is residence hall

staff collaborating with other campus resources such as campus police to put on educational

programs focused on student learning. Residence hall staff can even accompany their residents

to programs being offered at different resource centers on campus that directly fit the

communitys needs.

Just by residing on campus, students have easier access to the campus community and its

resources. With this easy access comes more opportunities to become involved (Astin, 1999).

Many student organizations are specific to living on campus such as hall government and the

National Residence Hall Honorary. Both student organizations serve the residence hall

communities in an effort to increase student engagement within the residence halls. Residence

halls provide many other opportunities to get involved that are not present in other college living

environments.

Students who live in the residence halls are also more likely to join a fraternity or a

sorority (Astin, 1999). This involvement piece could also be a possible explanation as to why

living on campus shows positive results in terms of campus retention. When students are
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involved in the institution life, their likelihood to graduate from that institution increases.

Students living in the residence halls report an increased level of satisfaction and involvement

with the institution (Paine, 2007). Additionally, students who reside in a learning community

report an even higher level of student engagement compared to students who live in traditional

residence hall environments (Pike, Kuh, and McCormick, 2011).

Student Retention

Living on campus is positively related to retention, which is true for all genders, sexes,

and races (Astin, 1999; Stassen, 2003). According to Tinto (1993), students are more likely to

remain at an institution if they find opportunities to become involved in the student life of the

institution. Residence halls help with this institutional involvement. As already discussed,

increased student engagement is a byproduct of residence hall living. If students are

participating in conversations about student engagement within the environment that they live in,

it is easier for them to become involved and commit to the institution.

Much of the cocurricular learning involved in residence halls focuses on diversity, social

tolerance, and interpersonal development (Zhao & Kuh, 2004). If a student feels like they

belong at an institution, they are more likely to obtain a degree (Stassen, 2003). In terms of

retention, it is much easier to retain a student that genuinely wants to be at the institution.

Through residence hall programs and initiatives, diversity and social justice is a core value of

most residence hall environments. This education on diversity and social justice is a step in

creating an environment where every student feels "at home" within their community. This

intentional effort is something that does not occur in off-campus residency because there are not

staff specifically working to create this safe environment. Pike, Kuh, and McCormick (2011)

report a significant relationship between diversity education in the residence halls and student
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retention. Pike (2002) suggests that the greatest openness on the topic of diversity occurs within

the residence halls. Students may not learn much in terms of academics within the residence

halls, but their education comes from experiences they have in their living environment.

Engaging in these conversations in the students' place of residency creates many opportunities

for holistic development.

According to Stassen (2003), students living in the residence halls have statistically less

voluntary withdrawals from the university. On a related note, student living in learning

communities report greater institutional commitment than students living in normal residence

hall environments. There is a direct correlation between student engagement and student

retention (Zhao and Kuh, 2004). If a student is more likely to get involved on campus, the

student is more likely to commit to the institution. Residence halls offer many opportunities to

become involved without even leaving their place of living. This level of student engagement

contributes to student retention in these creative ways.

Renn and Reason (2013) suggest that individual student experiences are the most

powerful influences on college persistence. If a student is involved on campus, they create an

investment in the institution that results in higher levels of satisfaction and ultimately higher

retention. Tinto's (1993) theory of student departure states that based on a student's academic

and social integration into the university, the student will revisit their goals and experiences to

make a decision on whether or not they should proceed at the institution (as cited in Renn and

Reason, 2013).

Discussion

Living in the residence halls is an experience that can significantly alter a college

experience. Residence halls exist to supplement student learning. As discussed earlier in this
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paper, there are many lasting benefits to living in the residence halls such as learning

communities, academic success, student engagement, and better retention. While fiscally,

residence halls cost significantly more money, the overall benefits create an experience that is

unmatched by other living environments both socially and academically.

Recommendations for Practice

The research suggests a positive correlation between residence hall living and holistic

student development in academics, persistence, and engagement. Student affairs is a career path

that is commonly called to question in terms of usefulness. This paper serves as justification for

the significance of residence halls as it relates to the students. Residence halls sole purpose for

existence is to create an environment conducive to learning outside of the classroom. Impacting

student lives outside of the classroom is why student affairs exists. Residence halls are a primary

place where student learning happens. While it is not typical classroom textbook learning, it is a

learning that far surpasses that. Students learn how to live in a community of people as they

develop a knowledge of social justice, diversity, and inclusion.

The importance of residence halls far surpasses the research that supports the topic.

Residence hall staff continuously work to create communities that support student growth. "All

groups expressed limited to no interactions with their resident director (RD) about classes or

academics as a whole" (Schmidt, 2011, 24). This quote signals that students perceive no learning

taking place in the residence halls. Residence hall staff should utilize this knowledge to engage

in intentional academic conversations to supplement student learning. Academic learning does

not have to take place in the classroom alone. Residence hall staff should engage in these

conversations to support the academic growth of the students they support.

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Residence hall staff should develop creative ways to supplement student learning. One of

the main facets of learning that takes place within the residence halls is diversity,

multiculturalism and inclusion. Residence hall staff should increase the amount of learning done

on these topics to not only positively impact institutional retention, but also to develop students

holistically.

Furthermore, residence halls should promote more residential curriculum models within

the residence halls. A residential curriculum is a structured intentional way of educating students

living in the residence halls (Brown, 2012). These intentional efforts to educate students create a

guided framework for this education. Many topics include diversity, inclusion, multiculturalism,

social integration, and student engagement. This recommendation for practice is grounded in the

research that education on diversity, student engagement, and other related topics increase

student attrition.

As discussed in the research, student engagement and retention are both positively

associated with diversity education. Residence hall staff should implement diversity education

into intentional efforts to educate students such as bulletin boards, programs, and advertisements.

This recommendation for practice is in place because it creates a sense of community that

supplements students' academic learning.

Future Implications

Many of the topics overviewed in this paper have been thoroughly researched and

developed. One thing that particularly hard to develop in this paper was the relationship between

academics and residence hall living. While the research all agrees that students who live in the

residence halls report higher GPAs, not much else is said on the topic. Many of the research

applied in this analysis of academics in the residence halls was grounded in cocurricular
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education and not textbook learning. Future research should be done on this relationship to

further develop the topic.

A shift has recently been taking place in campus housing toward residence halls with

gender inclusive housing. With this shift comes a lot of change with it. This new style of

housing could potentially skew the data on residence hall living. More research should be done

on the relationship between gender inclusive housing and how it relates to the current residence

life experience and benefits. This style of housing could create even more benefits to holistic

development, especially on the topics of diversity and inclusion. Residence halls moving toward

gender inclusive housing would be the next step to practicing diversity and inclusion one step

further.

Lastly, socioeconomic class is a factor not widely considered in the research in residence

hall living. A common discussion between residence hall staff is on the topic of socioeconomic

class in relation to the residence hall to which the students live. With many residence halls

having various price gaps based on the commodities they offer, a clear division of students based

on socioeconomic class is present. While in a business standpoint, it seems like the best course

of action, the diversity and inclusion lens offers a different standpoint. Future research on

residence halls should focus on this division of students and how the residence halls could

become more equitable in terms of socioeconomic class.

Conclusion

Residence halls create an environment that is beneficial to the holistic college student.

Residence hall students are consistently reporting better statistics for their constituents than off-

campus housing. Residence halls provide opportunities that for college students that other living

environments do not provide. With increased student retention, higher reported GPAs, and an
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increase in student engagement, the results point to many benefits of living in the residence halls.

Learning communities show an even more increased benefits than residence halls alone.

Through this analysis of residence halls and the holistic student benefits, it can be inferred that

residence halls are beneficial to college students.

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