Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2010

Thesis Director

Charles Eberly

Thesis Committee Member

Richard Roberts

Thesis Committee Member

None

Abstract

This purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of fraternity members in relation to their experience living in off-campus, chapter-owned fraternity housing and on-campus, university-owned fraternity housing. The fraternity resided in an off-campus chapter house for several decades and recently relocated to a housing facility provided by the university. General theme emerging from participants' responses were critically evaluated based on prior research. The findings of this study suggested that the participant's perceived on-campus housing to be an overall better living environment than off-campus housing in the areas of academic success, residential community, and student persistence and engagement. However, on-campus housing created more pressure on the participants to recruit members in order to reach the required campus minimum occupancy rate for the chapter. Off-campus housing negatively affected the academic success of the members and was described as a party atmosphere 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These findings are followed by a discussion section connecting participant responses to prior research, as well as recommendations for future researchers, fraternity/ sorority professionals, university administrators, and national fraternity and sorority officials.

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