A descriptive comparison of public two-year college residence hall programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe public, two-year college residence hall programs, and compare them to nearby public, four-year college and university residence hall programs. Program comparisons were made using criteria of stated purposes, educational programs and services offered, selected institutional characteristics, and estimated effects on student development.

Univariate statistics, including frequencies, percentages, t-Tests, and chi-square procedures were used to analyze the data collected by a 53-item questionnaire. Two-hundred ten public, two-year colleges were found to operate residence hall programs and they were compared to 110 public, four-year college and university residence hall programs. A response rate of 77.5% was achieved.

Significant differences were found between the two- and four-year samples on each criteria applied. Two-year college residence hall programs differed from four-year college or university residence hall programs in stated purpose, in the range and type of educational programs and services provided, in the institutional characteristics, and in the estimated effects of residence hall programs on overall student development. Differences in scope and in quality of programs generally favored four-year colleges and universities.

Perceptions of two-year colleges as institutions that enroll only commuter students may need to be altered. Approximately 21% of public, two-year colleges operate a residence hall program of some type.