If you must leave the program early, please do so in a manner that does not interrupt the presenters or the other program attendees.

Thank you for your cooperation.ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exposition

Program Committee

Please turn off cell phones, pagers, and PDAs or set to a silent/vibrate setting.

Best Practices in Housing Assignments

D. Cole Spencer, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Emily Glenn, ACUHO-I

Mannix Clark, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Overview

The presenters will share their findings from a second year of surveying housing assignment professionals and share the best practices for housing assignment professionals. The program will also feature examples of “best practices” from several institutions that may work at your College or University. The ACUHO-I corporate librarian will share with participants how the resources at the International office may assist assignment professionals in doing their job.

Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will learn the best practices in housing assignments based

on survey responses from their peers. 2. Participants will be exposed to resources at the ACUHO-I office that

may be beneficial to assignment officers. 3. Participants will become familiar with other assignments practices and

be given contacts for resources at other institutions.

Completed Surveys

Private 65

Public

* 1- 2 year college

122

Total 187

Responses

United States*41 different states

176

Canada 9

China 1

New Zealand 1

Size of Institutions

Housing Capacity

Private Public

>499 5 8

500-999 15 12

1000-2999 33 46

3000-4999 6 25

5000-9999 6 27

<10,000 0 5

Range 148-7851 200-13,531

Q1 & 2: Live-on Requirement? FRESHMEN Live-On Requirement

Yes 52.4% (98) No 47.6% (89)

Sophomore Live-On Requirement Yes 33.7% (63) No 66.3% (124)

Q3: Juniors & Seniors spaces? Do you allow Juniors and Seniors to live in

university owned housing? Yes 96.3% (180) No 3.7% (7)

Q 4: Freshmen Live With…

Only other freshmen: 40.6% Freshmen and upperclassmen: 58.3% Other: 11.8%

What about that “other”?

Q 4: Freshmen Live With… “96% of freshmen live together; others may be in a

special program,” “It depends on the age of the freshman. Traditional

freshmen are with other freshmen, occasionally a sophomore. Older freshmen (20+) are put with people their own age.”

“We try to keep freshmen together unless space limitations dictate otherwise.”

“Most live with other freshmen, unless both the freshman and the upperclass student specifically request to live together.”

Honors students of all classes live together.

Q 5: When do you open for fall move-in? What is your first day of class?i.e.: How many days are between those dates? Average: 4.61 Max: 19 Min: 1 Mode: 4 188 responses; 187 usable.

Q6: When do freshman begin applying for housing?Month Number Percentage

September 34 18%

October 35 19%

November 21 11%

December 14 7%

January 27 14%

February 12 6%

March 14 7%

April 7 4%

May 23 12%

Q7: When do you post (send out, allow to see on line) freshman assignments?

Month Number

April 19

May 20

June 41

July 70

August 33

September 2

Other 2

Q8: Advance Payment/Application Fee for FreshmenAdvance Payment % of

RespondentsApplication Fee % of

Respondents

NONE 40 NONE 16

$1 - $25 11 $1 - $25 0

$26 - $50 20 $26 - $50 3

$51 - $100 12 $51 - $100 15

$101 - $200 08 $101 - $200 25

>$200 09 >$200 42

•Of those with more than $200 advance payment, 63% are private institutions. •Of those with both >$200 advance payment and >$200 non-refundable application fee, 60% are public institutions.

Q 9: What questions do you ask re: roommates on the freshman application?

Housing Preference: 84% Smoke/No Smoke: 77.5% Personal Identifiers: 57.2% College/Program: 31% No Questions: 4.3%

So what are those personal identifiers?

Q 9: Freshman Housing Application:Personal Identifiers Specific roommate request Alcohol (use or not) Interests (music, hobbies) Disability accomodations Habits:

Sleep Studying Cleanliness Introversion/Extroversion Visitation

Q10: When do current residents begin reapplying for housing?Month Number Percentage

October 6 3%

November 10 5%

December 7 4%

January 35 19%

February 53 28%

March 46 25%

April 28 15%

May 2 1%

Q11: How do current residents reapply for housing? Select all that apply.

Online Manual

N/A 88 6

Select Own Room

77 95

Reserve Space for Roommate

55 65

Random Assign 40 40

Q11 Other Highlights…. 1st apply online for a contract, 2nd sign contract on line, manual room

selection process Manual for Residential Colleges They can select buildings, but not specific rooms Register groups and get selection numbers on line, select rooms in

person Apply like first year students Use a lottery to determine who will receive an assignment in housing for

the next academic year Residents can renew current assignment on line in Feb. Draw new

space at March lottery We have an online component where students apply as a group, but

they then come and pick their location manually.

Q12: When do you post current student reapplication assignments if not able to select own room?

Month Number

N/A 98

October 1

November 0

December 1

January 6

February 10

March 22

April 23

May 14

June 12

Q 13: When you think best practices in assignments, what do you do well?Online Notification

Website

Room Reapplication

Room Transfers

Communication to Residents

Early Arrivals

Temporary Housing

Use of Technology

Transgender housing

Roommate Matching

Others…

Q 14: Do you have:

Family/Married/Partnered Housing: No: 61% Yes: 39%

1 Bdrm: 78% 2 Bdrm: 84% 3 Bdrm: 41% Residence Hall: 2.5%

Bedroom percentages are from the “yes” responses.

Q 14: Do you have:

Graduate Housing No: 44% Yes: 56%

1 Bdrm: 70% 2 Bdrm: 62% 3 Bdrm: 30% Residence Hall: 25%

Bedroom percentages are from the “yes” responses.

Q 14: Do you have:

Faculty/Staff Housing No: 70% Yes: 30%

1 Bdrm: 73% 2 Bdrm: 82% 3 Bdrm: 32% Residence Hall: 10%

Bedroom percentages are from the “yes” responses.

Q15: Security Concerns

In the last two years, what changes have you made due to security concerns? (all that apply) Check criminal histories 19.1% (33) Video cameras 44.5% (77) Campus emergency system 84.4% (146) None 8.7% (15)     Other 28.3% (49)

OTHER: Police Officers living on campus All Card Swipe to buildings Additional Questions on housing application Require student cell-phone numbers

Q 16: Who does housing report to? Student Affairs: 86.7% Business Affairs/Auxiliary Services: 10.5% Finance & Operations: 5% Other: 4%

Facilities Mgmt. Enrollment Mgmt. Student and Academic Services Facilities & Operations Public-Private partnership, with facilities under a

foundation

Q17: Do you have gender neutral housing?

Number Percentage

Do not have 115 69.7%

By floor 25 15.2%

By suite 16 9.7%

By bedroom 25 15.2%

Q17: Other…

There are a number of schools that indicated the following: What does this question mean? Case by case basis Investigating and/or under consideration

Based on specific request through GLBT office First time Fall 2008 Single Rooms We don't specifically have this, but if asked we would work with

student for placement in single w/ private bath. We have one wing that allows for gender neutral We tried to set aside a floor at the request of a student group

here, but not enough applied so we didn't do it. We arrange depending on individual requests, normally single

rooms with private restroom

Q18: Announce Freshmen Assignments Letter 69.0% (129) Email 45.5% (85) Online 39.6% (74) Other 9% (17)

Other Examples: Campus Portal Postcards Assignments handed out at Move-in Handout at Orientation Freshmen pick rooms online

Q 19: List reasons a resident can cancel their housing without penalty. Graduation: 93.6% Study abroad: 85% Student teaching/internship (outside area): 70% Marriage: 69% Active military duty: 84% Withdraw from Institution: 68.4% Academically dismissed: 70.6% Other: 21%

Q 19: Other reasons a resident can withdraw without penalty: Grace period Medical/psychological reasons Family emergency Becoming a parent/pregnant Judicial dismissal Academic or judicial suspension Case-by-case only; no firm reasons No withdrawals without penalty

Q20: Please share your staffing model for the assignments area?

Assignment Coordinator(s)

Secretary/

Receptionist(s)HD/RD/AC

None/NA 23.9% 19% 25.3%

1-2 62.2% 70.8% 18%

3-4 10% 7.1% 18.7%

5-6 1.7% 2.4% 10.7%

7-8 1.7% 1.2% 10%

<9 0.6% 0.6% 17.3%

Q 21: In your opinion, what are the major issues facing housing assignments?

You are some worried folks!

…and with good reason!

Q 21: Major Issues Student Expectations: 38%

“Students wanting private rooms, though freshmen probably get more from having a roommate.”

“The desire for students to have it both ways: privacy and community.”

“Every student wants a single room!” “Student expectations and high sense of entitlement.” “Students wishing you to make an exception for them.” “Applicants changing their preferences late in the game.

Difficult to give them everything they want.” “Students are becoming more picky about the process and

seem to be less motivated to get to know others.”

Q 21: Major Issues Technology: 25%

“Affordable, user-friendly interface between housing assignments and online door access that updates in real time.”

“Roommate matching/notification of roommate; for us, it is making the process available online.”

“Systems forcing centralized assignment processes on all campus; they don’t allow a campus to better meet its own needs.”

“Using technology while still being personal.” “Moving everything to an online process, including the

contract.” “Online programs not meeting the expectations of what the

companies promise they will do. Housing assignment software that meets needs of institution

in terms of not only assignments/early arrivals, but billing, etc.

Q 21: Major Issues Assigning/Roommate problems: 23%

“Students and parents using Facebook to make judgements about randomly assigned roommates.”

“Freshmen believing we can “match” without any work on their part to develop conflict management skills of negotiation and compromise.”

“Students going to Facebook or similar…to check out roommates in advance of talking or meeting with them, then wanting a room change.”

“Best friends thinking they can be roommates; it is rarely successful.”

“The roommate squabbles make the staff edgy.” “Facebook has been problematic for incoming students.”

Q 21: Major Issues Parents: 13%

“Parents.” “Parents using Facebook or MySpace to track down

roommates.” “Helicopter parents who are more concerned about

son/daughter’s assignment than the son or daughter.” “Parental involvement; lack of student involvement.” “Dealing with difficult parents whose ideas are different

than the student’s.” “Parents’ and students’ desire for immediate information.” “Parents extremely demanding in reference to housing

options.”

Q 21: Major Issues Facilities/maintenance: 12%

“Disparity between modern residence halls and older halls.” “Decreasing desirability of aging housing…in need of

renovation/replacement.” “Outdated facilities and amenities,”

Special circumstances (ADA, trans, medical, gender-neutral): 11% “Gender and mental health issues,” “Housing for students with special needs – private

bathrooms, carpet-free lounges, etc.” “Transgendered housing,”

Q 21: Major Issues

Rounding out your concerns… Cost control/price competitiveness Retention of students in halls Communication with students and parents

Communicating with a message/medium to which students will respond

Students/parents not reading contracts completely.

Q 21: Major Issues

Security (for students’ physical being, for data)

Staff limitations (budget cuts, ability to deal with issues personally and completely)

Overflow/capacity

Q 21: Major Issues

7 respondents replied “none” or “n/a”! One said:

“No issues for us, made easier by the fact that 98% of our rooms are single!”

Q22: Favorite Odd Stories

1. Received doctor’s note that the stress of the assignment is affecting the mother and father’s health (not the student)

2. Need a roommate who fishes.3. Student did not tell parents she ‘flunked out’ until

move-in day when she did not have a room4. Student arrived with a butler, who wanted to know

where he would live5. I will give a $1,000 tip to get this room6. “I can’t live in a double because I’m allergic to

sharing”.

Q22: Favorite Parents

1. Parent said “why are you calling me? I told her she would have to get used to it and deal with it.”

2. Can you call my son on his cell phone? He is in the other room.

3. During Orientation, one father ‘told off’ another father who claimed the computer was biased against his daughter’s application

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? Thanks for the kudos! A few respondents said they didn’t know

what “gender-neutral” means. Rooms in which students of the opposite sex are

allowed to live together. Advocated by some gay and transgender activists as an option for students who might feel uncomfortable rooming with someone of the same sex; also as an option for all students whose ideal roommate might be someone of the opposite gender.

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? Comments on the clarity of questions or the

answer options were the most frequent: Several people mentioned their opening date for

fall move-in is different for freshmen than other classes, but we only asked for one date.

We didn’t provide enough dates for when housing assignments are distributed; as early as Feb; as late as June.

We didn’t provide enough dates for when housing assignments open.

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? You wanted more technology questions:

“What type of assignment software do you use and does it work well…?”

“Maybe more questions about how assignments technology integrates with other systems and processes on campus.”

“The use of technology to make assignments, match roommates, coordinate billing, complete applications, etc.”

“Who’s using a home-grown system and who [has] purchased software.”

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? How you make assignments

“If assignments are not random, how are new vs. returning students prioritized?”

“I know our institution struggles with assigning lottery numbers.”

“I think methods of pairing first-year roommates would be helpful to know.”

Automation vs. the personal touch: “Benefits/costs (not just financially) of in-person

vs. electronic assignments.”

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? The types of housing you have

“Our housing consists of dormitory, shared and self- contained units of all kinds.”

“We are all traditional dorm rooms. Not suites.” How you handle conflict

How institutions handle room/roommate switches; “are there fees? Is there a freeze period?”

“We have sent out over 600 new student assignments, and received approximately 100 calls and e-mails stating the student’s desire for a change…is this a common percentage?

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? Questions that better-applied to your school

“I have a feeling that most smaller colleges have different needs than larger colleges when it comes to housing.”

“We are a two-year institution so most of these questions were somewhat difficult to translate to our terminology.”

Q 23: Is there a question we should have asked but didn’t? Staffing structures

“Optimal assignments staff pattern,” “Secretary is shared and I oversee the building

directors/area directors with assignment area only.”

How you handle contract appeals: “Do schools follow a refund schedule so that the

longer a student resides in the hall the less they will be refunded?”

Thank You

D. Cole Spencer, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, dcoles@uiuc.edu

Emily Glenn, ACUHO-I, emily@acuho-i.org Mannix Clark, University of Minnesota, Twin

Cities, clark108@umn.edu

http://sites.google.com/site/housingassignments/