Form Student Housing Pr Student Housing Pr Student Housing Protocol

Protocol for GQ Student Housing Qualitative Interviews - University

Participant ID #:

Interview Date:

Interviewer initials:

Start Time: ____________ End Time: ____________

Section 1: Interviewer: Read/ Paraphrase the following text:

Greeting: Hello. My name is ________________, and I work for the Census Bureau.
Thank you for agreeing to talk with me today.

What: As you may know, the Census Bureau takes a count of the U.S. population every
10 years. Additionally, the Census Bureau conducts many other surveys on a more regular basis. In the time between surveys and leading up to each census, the Census Bureau conducts research to improve the way we count people. One area we are researching is the counting of college/university students. Today I’m going to be asking you some questions about the places where students at your university live. There are no right or wrong answers, because you are the expert in housing.

Confidentiality: Our session today is completely confidential. Your participation in this study is voluntary and you can decline to answer any particular question.

Recording: So I don’t have to rely on my memory later on, I’d like to audio record this
interview. That way, I can focus today on what you’re saying rather than having to concentrate on taking notes. Is that ok with you?

** HAVE PARTICIPANT READ AND SIGN CONSENT FORM**

**TURN ON TAPE RECORDER**

** BEGIN QUESTIONS**

[INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTIONS: AS YOU ADMINISTER THE PROTOCOL, NOTE ANY HESITATION OR CONFUSION FROM THE RESPONDENT.]

**RECORD END TIME**

Section 1. Student Housing

1. Tell me about the types of places where students of this college/university live. [INTERVIEWER: WRITE LIST OF PLACES RESPONDENT MENTIONS.]

• Probe: What about graduate students?

If R does not mention something other than a dormitory/residence hall, fraternity/sorority:

• Are there any other places that you know of where some college/university students may choose to live?

• ONLY IF NECESSARY: I noticed a few other apartment or apartment-style buildings in the area where students might live, like [MENTION NAMES]. Are these places students live?

LIST:

2. Does this college/university offer married student housing or family housing?

If yes:

• Tell me more about that.

• Is this housing exclusively for married students and their families?

• Is it for both undergraduate and graduate students?

• What types of leases are available?

• (If needed:) Where is this housing?

Section 2. Characteristics of Apartment-Style Housing

I’m interested in hearing more about places like [FILL WITH NAME(S) OF POTENTIAL APARTMENT-STYLE HOUSING].

[INTERVIEWER: MAKE SURE INFORMATION ON EACH PLACE IS CAPTURED FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. DO NOT ASK ABOUT DORMS OR FRATERNITIES/SORORITIES. USE AS MANY WORKSHEET PAGES AS NEEDED.]

1. Who owns or manages these buildings/places?

(If needed:) Are there any managed by the college/university? By a private entity or organization? By a seminary or other organization?

2. Do these places have any sort of affiliation with the college/university?

If yes: Can you tell me how it is affiliated with the college/university?

Probe: What does “affiliation” mean to you?

3. Where are these types of buildings/places located?

(If needed:) On-campus? Off-campus? Both?

4. Is roommate matching available for this place?

(If needed:) Is it through the university?

5. What kinds of amenities are provided in these places?

6. Tell me about the types of leases that are offered at each of these places.

(If needed:)

• Do these places offer individual leases?

• Is the lease by-the-bed?

• What length of lease is offered (9-month or 12-month)?

• Do students apply through the college/university or directly through the management company?

• Is the application completed online?

• Do residents have individual access to a resident portal or other similar online system?

7. How do students living at these places receive their mail?

If apartment is affiliated with university, only ask once: How does this compare to how
students in residence halls receive their mail?

8. Are there staff members such as resident assistants or community assistants?

(If yes to community assistants:)

• Are the community assistants students?

• What is their role?

9. How would a student interested in living in this place apply to live here? Does assignment occur through something such as a housing lottery?

Probe: How do students typically find out that (this place) offers student
housing?

10. Are students living at these places governed by the same residence life rules, code of conduct, or regulations as students who live in residence halls/dormitories?

11. Are the rooms furnished?

12. Does the building have a central entrance? Does the entrance have a front desk?

13. Does this place only house college/university students?

If yes:

• If the building was not filled to capacity, would you accept non-students?

If no:

• Does it primarily house students? What does “primarily” mean to you?

• What percentage of residents here are students? (If needed: Is it more than 90%?)

• Who else lives here? Can students’ spouses and/or families live here?

14. Does this place ever contract out rooms or beds to any school or college? (If necessary: For example, cosmetology schools, beauty schools, and trade schools)

If yes:

• How many students are from these types of schools?

• Are these students ever paired with students from your college/university as roommates?

[INTERVIEWER: REFERENCE LIST OF CSM-IDENTIFIED APARTMENT-STYLE HOUSING.]

If R does mention everything CSM has identified, go to Section 3.

If R does not mention everything CSM has identified:

• I noticed a few other apartment or apartment-style buildings in the area where students might live, like [MENTION NAMES]. Can you tell me more about this/these place(s)? [REPEAT SECTION 2 FOR ANY CHARACTERISTICS NOT VOLUNTEERED BY THE RESPONDENT. THEN GO TO SECTION 3.]

Section 3. GQ versus HU

Thank you for your answers. Now I’d like to give you a little more background on the Census Bureau. As you may know, a census of the population is conducted every 10 years. We also conduct other surveys more regularly, like the American Community Survey, or ACS. Because there are so many different types of living arrangements, the Census Bureau has two different ways of counting everyone in the census and these surveys..

One way is to count everyone in a housing unit. This might be what you would typically think of when you think of the census. One form goes to a housing unit, and that form collects information on everyone in that unit, such as their names, ages, sexes, and how these people are related to each other.

The other way is to use a method of counting people called group quarters. This is generally used when the housing unit approach doesn’t work so well. For example, sending a housing unit form to a nursing home would not work well because typically the patients are not related. In the group quarters method, each individual person fills out a form with information only about themselves.

In the past, most college/university student housing has been counted using the group quarters method. Students in housing such as residence halls/dormitories and fraternities or sororities are generally asked to fill out their own individual forms.

However, the types of places where students live are changing. There are increasingly more unique arrangements, including housing in apartments or apartment-style housing. The Census Bureau is trying to figure out whether these places should be counted for the next census in 2020, and in other surveys like the ACS, using the housing unit method or the group quarters method. Part of this decision involves deciding whether these places should be considered “student housing.”

Probe: What does the term “student housing” mean to you?

Probe: Do you consider “university recognized student housing” to
be the same thing?

[INTERVIEWER: YOU MAY SHOW THE HOUSING UNIT DEFINITION IN THIS SECTION ONLY IF ASKED]

Let’s think about some of the buildings we discussed, other than residence halls/dormitories or fraternities/sororities. For example, we talked about [FILL WITH NAMES OF PLACES].

1. Would you consider these places “student housing”?

If no:

• What characteristics of these places would need to change for you to consider them student housing?

• Would you want students residing in these places to be part of the student housing population count?

If yes:

• What makes you consider these places student housing?

2. We spent some time talking about different characteristics of housing that could possibly help the Census Bureau decide if a place should be considered student housing. These characteristics included amenities, location of building, and lease type.

What characteristics are we missing?

3. Are there any other places where students live that we have not yet talked about?

Probe: What happens if there is not enough student housing available for all students who request it? If necessary: Are students ever placed in local hotel rooms?

4. Are you aware of other types of student housing options that may become more or less popular in the next few years?

What other changes do you anticipate coming to student housing in the next few years?

5. Currently, the Census Bureau uses this definition to classify student housing. [HAND RESPONDENT DEFINITION]. Please take a minute to read this definition.

Includes residence halls and dormitories, which house college and university students in a group living arrangement. These facilities are owned, leased, or managed either by a college, university, or seminary, or by a private entity or organization. Fraternity and sorority housing recognized by the college or university are included as college student housing.

Does this definition capture everything we have talked about today? Is it too broad, too narrow, or just right? Tell me more about that.

Probe: How would you change this definition?

Probe: What does “group living arrangement” mean to you? [SHOW RESPONDENT WHERE THIS PHRASE IS IN THE DEFINITION]

Probe: Does this definition capture the apartment and apartment-style housing we discussed?

6. Here is a definition that is very similar to the one that I just showed you. In this definition, the phrase “both on- and off-campus” is included [HAND RESPONDENT REVISION AND SHOW RESPONDENT PHRASE].

Includes residence halls, dormitories, and other buildings, which house college and university students in a group living arrangement, both on- and off-campus. These facilities are owned, leased, or managed either by a college, university, or seminary, or by a private entity or organization. Fraternity and sorority housing recognized by the college or university are included as student housing.

What do you think about this definition compared to the previous one? Which one do you think fits your building more closely?

7. In the future, one way the Census Bureau could collect information on students living in student housing is to compile information from colleges/universities. Please take a moment to look at this form [HAND RESPONDENT ICR].

If the Census Bureau were to ask for information, what might the college/university be able to provide about students living in student housing? [INTERVIEWER NOTE: BE SURE TO GET RESPONSE ON EACH ICR QUESTION.]

Would this information provide an accurate count in your opinion?

If R mentions FERPA: Under FERPA, educational institutions can disclose information designated as “directory information” to the U.S. Census Bureau as long as a student has not opted out.

If R mentions other legislation prohibiting disclosure: What information might you be able to provide if we assume that legislation allows it?

8. Earlier we talked about the two ways the Census collects information: The housing unit method, where forms are mailed to a housing unit and questions are asked about everyone living in that housing unit; and group quarters where Census collects an “Individual Census Report” from each resident. Based on this information, which of the two methods do you believe would work best for [FILL WITH NAMES OF PLACES] for the Decennial Census in 2020?

Probe: Please tell me more about that.

9. Let’s say we came to these buildings for the census in 2020 and showed this flashcard and asked to identify which category best described these places. What would you say?

[GIVE RESPONDENT FLASHCARD]

(If needed:) Do you see any categories on this flashcard that capture these buildings? Tell me more about that.

10. Now I’d like for you to take a look at a revision to category 11 on this flashcard [GIVE RESPONDENT REVISED CATEGORY; POINT OUT 11 ON FLASHCARD]. Please take a moment to read this over.

“11. Student housing, including a residence hall, dormitory, or other building for students that is owned, leased, or managed, either by a college, university, or seminary, or by a private entity or organization
Group housing for students at residential colleges, universities, and seminaries.”

What do you think about this category compared to the previous one? Which one do you think fits your building more closely?

11. Is there anything else you would like to mention that we haven’t had a chance to talk about yet?

Thank you very much for your time and for your help with improving the 2020 Census.

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